An Illustrated History 



OF 



Pawtucket 

Central Falls 

AND Vicinity 



A NARRATIVE OF THE 



GROWTH AND EVOLUTION OF THE COMMUNITY 



BY ROBKRT GRIEVE 



PUBLISHED BY THE 

PAWTUCKET gazette AND CHRONICLE 



PAWTUCKET, R. I. 
18 7 



COPYRIGHT 1S97 

BY 

HENRY R. CAULFIELD 

PAWTUCKET 






;AN 1 8 1936 

copy.._ 




% 




THE MAKING OF THE BOOK 



IN the spring t)f ISi)-') the prt'liiuiiiarv work on 
the Illustrated History ol I'awtucket, Central 
Halls and vicinity was begun. The projectors 

were H. R. Caulfield of Pawtucket and Thomas 
Jacob of New York, and they interested the publish- 
ers of the Pawtuckkt (.azhttk and Chronicle, who 
consented to become the official publishers of the book. 
Operations were at once started and a great deal of 
genealogical, biographical and historical data was grad- 
ually collected. 

The labor of preparing the book, however, has 
been much more arduous and extensive than was at 
first anticipated. This was largely owing to the fact 
that Pawtucket proved to be a very rich field histori- 
cally. Here the people of the Rhode Island and the 
Massachusetts Bay colonies had come together as they 
had nowhere else, and the community has been under 
the jurisdiction not only of two colonies, and two 
states, but also of a number of town governments. 
These conditions gave rise to many interesting com- 
plications which necessitated investigation. The place 
was also the original home of the cotton manixfacture 
in .\merica, and was always the headquarters of many 
varieties of industry. To trace the interesting political 
developments and the industrial growth of the com- 
munity, in connection with the local annals of Paw- 
tucket and adjoining centres of population, under 
these circumstances necessarily involved more labor 
and took more time than was foreseen. On this 
account the publication of the book has been delayed 
much beyond the time when, at the inception of the 
enterprise, it was expected to be issued. 

Mr. C.\ULFIELD has spared no labor or expense to 
make a creditable work. A book which would have 
been only a rehash of matter already published could 
have been produced quickly and cheaply ; but, instead, 
ail the various lines of investigation were followed, 
involving a great amount of research, with the result 
that a history has been written which is a substantially 
new presentation of the life and growth of Pawtucket. 

To convince the people of the city that an attempt 
was being made to prepare a first-class historical work 
took some time ; but, when they did comprehend that 
fact, many sources of information, both public and 
private, were put at the disposal of the compilers. 
Valuable historical, genealogical, and biographical 
data was by this means secured by the exertions both 
of Mr. Cauleielu and Mr. Jacois, and was filed away 



carefully and systematically by the latter, who had 
formulated the idea of the book. Then came the task 
of putting the book together. This portion of the 
undertaking was finally, in March, 189fi, placed wholly 
in the hands of Robert Grieve of Providence, who 
had had experience as an historical writer. He 
planned the book, edited the biographies, and wrote 
the historv as printed, utilizing the data already 
collected, but also making use of all other available 
sources of information as the necessities of the work 
demanded. The biographical sketches were compiled 
from all available .sources, including family trees and 
records, works on genealogy, town histories and public 
records. From the beginning of 1896 the management 
of the business devolved upon Mr. CaulfiELD, who by 
his energy, his wide acquaintance, and his business 
ability, carried the enterprise through successfully. 
.-\ number of the biographies toward the end of the 
work were written by J. F. Brennan, of Providence. 
The biograpliical sketches of the early jiewspaper 
men of I'awtucket, printed in chapter 14, were writ- 
ten by Chari.es a. I,ee, editor of the Gazette and 
Chronicle. 

The thanks of the publishers are due to a great 
manv persons in Pawtucket and elsewhere who assisted 
them in various ways. The entire resources of the 
Pawtucket Free Public Library were practically placed 
at their disposal by the librarian, Mrs. Minerva A. 
Sanders, who not only loaned many historical works 
and documents, but her advice and counsel were of 
great value. Through the courtesy of the Hon. Amos 
Perry, the secretary and librarian of the Rhode Island 
Historical Society, Providence, many volumes and 
papers bearing on the work in hand were obtained 
from the cabinet of that society. Many necessary 
books which could not readily be obtained elsewhere 
were secured at the Providence F'ree Public Library, 
and all the courtesies of the library were extended to 
the editor by the librarian, William E. Foster. The 
lilirarian of Brown University, Harry L. Koopman. 
niaile a number of suggestions in regard to the 
index and other matters, which proved of much value. 
Edward P. Tobie, the correspondent of the Providence 
Journal in I'awtucket, the late Ansel U. Nickerson, 
Captain Henry I". Jenks, tieorge A. Carpenter, city 
engineer; Ivx-Govcruor John \V. Davis, General Olney 
.\riiold. Rev. Massena Goodrich, David \V. Hoyt, prin- 
cipal of the high school. Providence ; the late Lucius 



Til]' MAKI\(; OK Till'; liooK. 



B. narlin;<, William II. riiiiiiu-y. I'laiu-is PtaU. Jch 
Iv. Spencer, Edwin A. rt-nin, I'ostnKisti-r Alnion K. 
("loodvviii, Senator T'^lwanl I^. Freeman, Joseph \V. 
l"reeman, Frederick A. Horton, and others, furnished 
important data, and aided materially in many matters 
hy their counsel. J. F.dwin Judson, civil engineer, 
rendered great assistance in locating old houses and 
plats, .\mong others who loaned documents, books, 
maps, family papers, and gave information about 
houses, etc., were Mrs. Stephen P. Fisk, Mrs. John B. 
Read, Mrs. Ida E. Beede, Ex-Lieut. C.ov. Henry A. 
Stearns, Stephen F. F'isk, Henry B. De.xter, Darius L. 
Go£f, Dr. James L. Wheaton, Edwin Darling, Ivlward 
Thayer, Samuel S. Warren, Russell I''essLiiden, Iv .Syl- 
vester Binford. the late George E. Newell, William P. 
Bradley, Orlando Carpenter, Peter Gaskin, John H. 
Davis, John E. I.eF'avour, John Devlin, John F. Mc- 
Alevey, Thomas Kenyon, Samuel Darling, Michael 
McGowan, William E. Snyder, B. Frank Bowen, George 
Deggin, Dennis Martin and others. Without the coop- 
eration of the manufacturers and the men of business 
and affairs, who furnished very essential ai<l by their 
sympathy, encouragement, and financial support, the 
book could not have been produced in such an expen- 
sive and elegant form. 

Much of the early history of Pawtucket ju'eviouslv 
written had been based on family traditions. The new 
study of the entire field, however, made necessary for 
this work, showed that some of these traditions were 
unreliable, especially those relating to the first settle- 
ment of the place. The " Early Records of the Town 
of Providence," ten printed volumes of which have 
already been published, made availal>Ie for the first 
time much material by means of which the story of the 
beginning of Pawtucket can be better understood than 
ever before. These volumes have been carefully printed 
and copiously indexed under the care of the record 
commissioners : Judge Horatio Rogers of the Rhode 
Island .Supreme Court ; the late Judge George M. 
Carpenter of the United States District Court, and 
lylward Field, clerk of the Municipal Court of Provi- 
dence. They were made use of to a great extent and 
are referred to in the foot notes as authority for many 
statements. In addition to this practically new source 
of information, a great many other works were con- 
sulted in tracing the early history and the relations of 
Pawtucket to other communities, among which were 
the Rhode Island Colonial Records, .^mold's History 
of Rhode Island, Staples's Annals of Providence, Bliss's 
History of Rehoboth, Mass., and Lewis's .A.nnals of 
Lynn, Mass. 

Rev. Dr. David Benedict's reminiscences of Paw- 
tucket, published forty years ago in manv articles in 
the Pawtucket Gazette and Chronicle, are the basis of 
all the local annals of the communitx-. Thev were ex- 
haustively studied from a conijilcte scra]> Iiook of the 
articles obtained from the Pawtucket Pree Piddic 



Library, and the results collated carefully in the text. 
Otlier sources of dat.-i for the story of the local life 
were: the files of tlie Gazette and Chronicle; the 
address at the Centennial of North Providence, and the 
Historical Sketch of Pawtucket, by Rev. Massena 
Goodrich; David Wilkinson's Reminiscences; the 
Wilkinson Memoirs; Newman's Oration; Newman's 
Blackstone ; White's Memoir of Samuel .Slater; 
Steere's History of .Smilhfield ; Richardson's History 
of Woonsocket ; Life and Times of Thomas W. Dorr; 
the town records of North Providence, R. I., and of 
Pawtucket, Mass., in manuscript volumes in the Paw- 
tucket City Hall ; •2:)inh .\nniversary of the Settlement 
of Reliolioth ; the Ci>tton Centennial; Genealogy of 
the Jenks family in the Pawtucket Gazette ; the reports 
of the law cases in regard to the water power in the 
early years of the century, and of the litigation about 
the Pawtucket river and the obstructions to navigation 
in 18G7 ; Biographical Cyclopedia of Rhode Island ; with 
many other documents, pamphlets. ]iai)ers, newspaper 
articles and reminiscences, jiersonal ;ind printed. 

The illustrations were carefully made from photo- 
graphs, expressly taken for that purpose, and they were 
reproduced bj- photoengraving. Nearly all the portraits 
were made from photographs taken bv Carl V. Pohlson 
of the Maple Studio, Pawtucket. 

Ever}- reasonable effort has been made to secure 
accuracy and correctness in the matter printed, both 
in the history and the biographies. The method 
pursued was to submit the typewritten manuscript, 
and in many instances printers' proofs, to persons who 
had an authoritative kiu)\vledge of the particular sub- 
ject treated. This course was followed in regard to 
the accounts of the churches, the banks, the mili- 
tary companies, the newspapers, the post office, the 
public library, the manufacturing concerns, the parks, 
the monuments, the municipal improvements — includ- 
ing the sew-er sj-ste:n, the water works and the street 
improvements, — and in many other matters. Especial 
care was taken that each individual should see his ow-n 
biographical sketch before it was printed. In this 
manner accuracy has been secured, especially in dates 
and names; but notwithstanding this method and all 
the care exercised it is not claimed that there are no 
errors. As has been truly said there is "a depravit^• 
in things" and especially in type; so despite these 
endeavors some errors may have crept in. 

Now that the work is finished, no one can realize 
more than the publishers that the method of treatment 
could have been improved upon, and that some things 
are omitted which would have added to the worth of 
the narrative. Yet, it can be said, the history is a 
sincere attempt to unfold the .story of the evolution of 
Pawtucket, and the claim can be honestly made that 
in the?e pages the life of the community is presented 
more connectedly and more in detail than ever has 
been done before. 



CONTENTS. 



Till'; M AKixc. oi- THK Hook ■*-•♦ 

Portraits and BLortRAi'Hiivs ' "^ 

Introductory — The Scope and Intent of the Hook !'- '- 

Chai'TKR I— Physical Characteristics- The River— William Hlackstone— The Abori-jiiies 13-22 

Chapter II — The Acquisition of the Land -•' •" 

Chapter III— The First Settlers ■'-■*■* 

Chapter IV— The Rise of the Industrial Couinuinity at Pawtucket I'alls -i'^-'tH 

Chapticr V — The Villajjes and Neighborhood at the Heginnins of the Century liil-72 

Chapter \'I— The Coming of Slater and the I->a of Cotton T:!-!M) 

Chapter VII— The Factory System— Aspects of and Changes in Social Conditions !ll-l(i:! 

Chapter VIII— The Utilization of the Water Power 104-1 lo 

Chapter IX— Land Travel and Building of Highways— Waysiile Inns— Traffic on I'awtucket 

River— Deepening of the Channel 11 1 1_'4 

Chapter X— The Achievement of Political I'nity and the Coalescing of the Two Pawtuckets 125-1:!:! 

Chapter XI— Growth as Result of Introduction of Cotton Manufacture— Recent Industrial 

Development i:!4-ir.!l 

Chapter XII— Central Falls, Pleasant View, Valley I'alls, Lonsdale and Savlesville 1(10-172 

Chapter XIII — Religion and ICilucation 1..H-1S, 

Chapter XIV— The Newspapers- The Banks 18S-2(10 

Chapter XV— Modern Pawtucket : Water. Works— Sewers— Parks— Cemeteries— Military 
Companies— The Veteran Firemen— Societies— The Post OfBcc— High 

Schools— Monuments— Public Huildings— Homes, etc 2lll-2:!0 



Hioi-,RAPHi);s oi- Prominent Citize: 



Index to Historv- 



!:{i-r>oo 



501 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 



American Hair Cloih Co., factory of, Central Falls 

Armory, State 

Armory, the old 

Arnold, Gen. Olney. residence of 

Arnold Stone Chimney House, near .Saylesville 

Baptist Church, Central Falls 

Bates, Frederick, residence of ■•• 

Blackstone Monument, Lonsdale 

Blapkstone River above Mill Street Bridge, Central Falis 

Blackstone River, looking north from Exchange Street Bridge .. 

Broad Street Fire Station. Central Falls 

Broad Street, looking north from Cross Street, Central Falis 

Broadway, Junction of, with Cottage and Summit Streets 

Broadway, foot of, in 1825 

Brook Street, from Grove Street 

Catholic Oak, Lonsdale 

Central Falls High School 

Christ Church, Lonsdale 

City Hall, Pawtucket 

City Coal Co.. Wharf of 

Coats. J. i: P. (Limited), factories of 

Collyer M<.nnment 

Conant, Hezekiah, residence of 

Conant, Samuel M. , residence of 

Cottage Street, looking northeast from Angle Street 

Crossley, Robert, residence of 

Cumberland High School 

Cumberland Town Hall, Valley Falls 

Dam, Upper, above Pawtucket Falls 

Darling, Edwin, residence of 

Darlington 

Diamond Hill Reservoir 

East Avenue, looking north from Grace Street . - . 

East Avenue, lookincf north from just below South Union Street 

FarAvell Worsted Mill, Central Falls 

First Baptist Church, Pawtucket 

Fisher's, Joshua, residence, as it now appears 

Follett, Jabez, birthplace of 

Follett, Jabez, residence of 

Garden Street School, Pawtucket 

Goff, Darius, homestead of the late 

Greene, Edward A . , residence of 

Grove Street School, Pawtucket 

Hammond's Pond, view of Pawtucket from East side of 

Hancock Street School, Pawtucket 

Harbor, the, of Pawtucket, view of, from Division Street Bridgt 

Hoiy Trinity Church, Central Falls 

Hope Webbing Co., factory of 

Howard & Bullough American Machine Co., (Limited), works < 

Jenks", Nathaniel, house, west end 

Jenks*. Nathaniel, house, east end 

Jenks' Park, Central Falls 

John Street Bridge, Lonsdale, approach to 

Kendall Street Fire Station 

Kenyon, John J., Manufacturing Co., works of ih- 

Main Street, looking east from Trinity Square 

Main Street, looking west from East Avenue 



Map of Pawtucket, Mass., in 1848 35 

Mason Co., the Robert D., factory of 11 1 

Mineral Spring Cemetery, view in 207 

Moshassuck Cemetery. Central Falls, view in 207 

Narragansett Machine Co., factory of, Woodlawn qz 

Newell, William, original brass foundry of 449 

Newell, William, homestead of 449 

Olney & Payne Bros., Wharf and Coal Pucket of 157 

Park Place, opposite Wilkinson Park 55 

Pawtucket Falls in i/Sq 12 

Pawtucket Falls early in the century iq 

Pawtucket Falls in i8q6 218 

Pawtucket, Mass., Map of, in 1848 35 

Pawtucket. from Division Street Bridge, looking Northward 43 

Pawtucket, view of, looking toward Exchange Street Bridge 30 

Pawtucket, looking North from Pacific Bank Building 41 

Pleasant Street and the Town Landing in 1830 17 

Potter, William H . residence of 500 

Prospect Street, looking East from Division Street 116 

Prospect Street Fire Station 14Q 

Pumping Station No. i, and SettlingBasin, Pawtucket Water Works 2iq 

Pumping Station No. 3, Pawtucket Water Works 219 

Quaker Meeting House, the old, near Saylesville 33 

Read Homestead, the John B 203 

Riverside Cemetery, view in 207 

Sayles, Frederick C, residence of , 59 

Sayles Memorial Chapel, Saylesville 173 

Sheldon, H. H. and P. C, residence of 212 

Slater Cotton C., mills of the 3gS 

Slater Mill, the Old, at present 21 

Slater, Samuel, first residence of. as it now appears 25 

Slater, Samuel, residence of, early in the century, as it now appears, 204 

Soldiers Monument, the 201 

Standard Seamless Wire Co., factory of 64 

Starkweather, The Oliver, Mansion 31 

State Armory 75 

Stearns, Henry A., residence of 04 

St . Joseph's Church 177 

St. Joseph's School 71 

St. Mary's Cemetery, view in 207 

St. Mary's School 71 

St. Patrick's Cemetery, Valley Falls, view in 207 

St. Paul's Church 177 

Summit Street, looking North from just below Lyon Court 116 

SutclifTe. Co.. The Adam, building of 451 

Thayer's, Ellis, Brush Manufactory 147 

The Times Building 103 

To Kalon Club House 98 

Town Landing in 1830 17 

Trinity Church 177 

Trinity Square, Broad and North Union Streets 55 

Typesetting Machine, Linotype, in use by the Pawtucket Post 105 

Universalist Church, High Street 60 

Valley Falls Fire Station 149 

Veteran Firemen's Building, School Street 149 

Wilkinson Park, Autumn view in 159 

Wood, Alanson P., residence of 393 



PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHIES. 



portrait ; b., bioj;raph\ ; 



lit and biography 



Adams, Jobii A., pr. opp. i66, b. 231 

Adams, John K., pr. opp. 166, b. 212 

Adams, Thornton H., 240 

Adamson, Edward, pr, 233, b. 232 

Anderton, James, pr. 227, b. 233 

Anderton, Joseph, pr. 300, b. 233 

Andrew, J, Kverett, 234 

Andrew, James H., 234 

An>;ell, Stephen D., pr. 385, b. 235 

Arncild, Alexanders., pr. 353, b. 235 

Arnold, Frank H., pr. 236 

Arnold, Henry M., pr. 236 

Arnold. H. M. & Son, b. 236 

Arnold, Olney, pr. opp. 144, b. 236 

Arnold, Preserved, b .2^q 

Arnold, Selh, pr. opp. 238, b. 239 

Ashton, Daniel W., pr. 87, b. 240 

Atwood, Abner, pr. 118, b. 241 

Authier, Joseph M., pr. 198, b. 241 

Ranigan, James E., pr. 385, b. 242 

Barber, Joseph DeVere, M. D., pr. 247, b. 242 

Barber, John H., pr. 471, b. 243 

Barber, Reuben A,, pr. 105, b. 243 

Barber, Varnum T., pr. 128, b. 243 

Barker, Edward, pr. 247, b. 244 

Barker, Frederick Eugene, pr. 83, b. 244 

Barker, Henry, pr. 300, b. 244 

Barney, Edward C, 245 

Barnefield, Thomas P., b. 486 

Barolet, Louis P., pr. 262, b. 245 

Barry. James F., pr. 385, b. 261 

Bastow, Stuart, pr. 229, b. 246 

Bates, frank May, 246 

Bates, Frederick, pr. 355, b. 248 

Bates, Whitman, pr. 3S5, b. 249 

Baxter, Frederick Warren, pr. 139, b. 249 

Beach, James W., pr. 486. b. 487 

Beaudry, Louis H., M. D., pr. 247 

Bellew, Robert, pr. 115, b. 250 

Bennett, John H., M. D., pr. 247, b. 250 

Berry, James B., pr. 363, b. 250 

Berry, Thomas E., pr. 262, b. 251 

Berry, Thomas T,, ^^r. 247, b. 251 

Bishop, Frank, pr., r h. iRt,^ 

Blak" franklin N'' ^'^'"' -51 

**''ne general 
Bioi^tli'^ social j3 

Boardman, William H., 253 
Borden, Frank H., pr. 1:3, b. 254 
Bourne, Arthur O., 254 
Bowen, Charles A., pr. 223, b. 254 
Bowen, Edward S., pr. 247, b. 254 



Bo 



, Clo 



i H., 



Bowen, Leroy E., pr. 223, b. 255 
Bowen, Nathan, pr, 223, b. 256 
Branaghan, John H., pr. 467, b. 488 
Bray, Allen F., pr, 355, b. 256 
Bray, Ferdinand, pr. 355, b. 256 
Briggs, Hiram A., pr. 89, b. 257 
Brooks, William J., pr. 108, b. 257 
Brown, James, pr. opp. 152, b. 260 
Brown. James S., b. 258 
Bucklin, Charles R., pr. 385, b. 488 
Burns, Richard M., pr. 487, b. 488 
Burrow. William T.. pr. 179, b. 260 
Butler, Richard A., 261 
Campbell, Duncan H., pr. 487, b. 4S9 
Capron, George O., b. 263 
Carmichael, (leorge A., pr. 262, b. 263 
Carpenter, Charles E., pr. 262, b. 266 
Carpenter, Everett P., pr, no, b. 265 
Carpenter, George A., pr. 266, b. 265 



Carpenter, Isaac B , pr. 206, b. 266 

Carroll, Hugh J., pr. 120, b. 267 

Carty, Gilbert, pr. 493, b. 489 

Case, Samuel O., Jr., pr. 262, b. 268 

Cattanach, Donald D., pr. 269, b. 268 

Caulfield. H. R., pr. 419 

Chace. Jonathan, 490 

Chace, Preston A., pr, 487, b. 491 

Chalk, H. J., pr. 300, b. 270 

Cheever, Edson T , pr. 487, b. 491 

Chicago Beef Co., b. 491 

Clapp, Bela P., pr. 99, b. 270 

Clark, John H., pr. 353, b. 271 

Clarner, John E., 271 

Cokely, George W., pr. 90, h. 272 

Coie, Henry S., pr. 300, b. 272 

Cole, Wheaton, pr. 487, b. 492 

Collins, Henry, 273 

Collins, James, pr. 495, b. 492 

Collins, Joseph W., pr. 273, b. 274 

Collins, William W., 273 

Conant, Hezekiah, pr. opp. 202, b. 274 

Corrigan, John P., M D.. pr. 217. b. 276 

Costello, John J., pr. 262, b. 277 

Cottrell, John T., pr. 215, b. 277 

Crane, Thomas J., pr. 4Q5, b. 494 

Crawford, C. Fred, 278 

Crawford, James M., pr. 161, b- 278 

Cronin, William J., pr. 495, b, 494 

Crossiey, Robert, pr. 89, b. 279 

Croston, Thomas, 279 

Crowninshield, Walter H., b. 280 

dimming, John H., 280 

Currier, Andrew J., pr. 175. b. 281 

Cushman, Robert, 281 

Darling, Edwin, pr. 114, b. 283 

Darling, Family, The, b. 282 

Darling, Lucius B,, pr. opp. 72, b. 285 

Darling. Lucius B. Jr., pr. 353. b. 286 

Darling, Lyman M., pr. 151, b. 287 

Darling, Ruel S., pr. 351, b. 288 

Darling, Samuel, {4th), pr. 283, b. 282 

Darling, Samuel, (5th), 288 

Darling, William W., 289 

Davis. Charles H., pr. 211, b. 289 

Davis, Herbert B.. b. 289 

Davis, John E., pr. 293, b. 290 

Davis, John W., Ex-Gov., pr. 291, b. 290 

Dawson, WilHam H.. pr. 90, b. 292 

Deahy, Michael F,, pr, 293, b. 292 

Deahy, Thomas H., pr. 293, b. 294 

Delany, Lyons, pr. 83. b. 294 

Dempsey, James, pr. 295. b. 294 

Dennis, John R., 293 

Devlin, John, pr. 293, b. 296 

Dexter, George E., b. 496 

Dexter, Henry B., pr. opp. 140, b. 297 

Dexter, James C, 298 

Dillon, John, pr. 300, b. 299 

Donath, August Franz, pr. 495, b. 496 

Dorsey, Henry C. I--, pr. 467, b. 496 

Douglas, George C, pr. 139, b. 299 

Draper, Frank O., pr. 179, b. 299 

Drown, Otis E., pr. 293, b. 301 

Dwyer, Daniel D., pr. 293, b. 301 

Easton, Frederick W., b. 302 

Ervin, John, pr 487 

Evans, John, pr. 106, b. 302 

Everett, George F., pr-^ 363, b. 303 

Fairman, Roswell H., pr. 493 b. 497 

Fainvcather, James R., pr. 311. b. 303 

Falcon, Abraham Z., M. D., pr. 171, b. 303 

Fales. David L., b. 304 



Fales, James G., pr, 167, b. 304 

F'ales, Joseph E., pr. 300, b. 305 

Farnsworth, Claude J., b. 305 

Farnsworlh, Claudius B., b. 305 

Farwell, Frederick S., b. 306 

Fessenden, Benjamin, pr. opp. 158, b. 306 

Fisher, Oilman C, pr. 96, b. 308 

Fisk, Stephen F., b. 309 

Fisk, Stephen P., pr. 155, b. 308 

Fit/, Edward E., pr. 107, b. 309 

Folleit, FVrdinand A., pr. 311, b. 310 

FoIIett, Francis F., pr. 311, b. 310 

Follett, Jabez, pr. jn, b. 310 

Fontaine, Hermenegilde, pr. 363, b. 312 

Forticr, Adelard J., D. D. S., pr. 211, b. 312 

Fournier, John AL, pr. 132, b. 312 

Fowler, George H., pr. 95, b. 313 

Freeman, Edward L., pr. opp. 104, b. 314 

Freeman, Joseph W.. 315 

Freeman, William C. b. 316 

French, Charles H., M. D.. pr. 183, b. 317 

Frost, .Albert, pr. 229. b. 317 

Fuller, Charles H., pr. 311, b. 318 

Fuller, George H., pr. 311, b. 318 

Gagnon, Fortunat, M. D., pr. 331, b. 318 

Garbutt, Irving R., pr. 331, b. 318 

Gardiner, William E., pr. 331, b. 319 

Gardner, Walter S., pr. 331, b. 319 

Garvin, Lucius F. C, M. D., pr. 174, b. 320 

Gatchelt, Frank L., pr. 199. b. 321 

Gates, George C. pr. 200, b. 321 

Germain, Peter, pr. 331, b. 322 

(Jill, Isaac. 322 

Clancy, Charles H., M. D., pr. 217, b.^2i 

('.off, Darius, pr. opp. 216, b. 324 

Goff, Darius L., pr. 483, b. 327 

Goff, I.ynian B., pr. opp. 208, b. 32S 

Goldsmith, William H., b. 328 

GoodinK. William H., pr. 123, b. 324 

Goodrich, Rev. Massena. 329 

Goodwin, Almon K., pr. 126, b. 330 

Gorman. Peter, pr. 185, b. 332 

Gotlschalk, William von, M. D., pr. 333, b. 332 

Graham, George, pr. 331, b. 333 

Grandfield, Michael, M. D., b. 333 

Greene, Benjamin F., pr. 335, b. 334 

Greene, Edward A., pr. opp. 94, b. 335 

Grimes, William H., pr. 467, b. 336 

Hall, William, pr.471, b. 336 

Halliday, Frederick F., pr. 339, b. 337 

Halliday, Frederick F., Jr., pr. 131, b. 337 

Harding. Nehemiah. pr. 167, b. 338 

Harley, David, pr. 113, b. 338 

Harrington, Francis M., M. D., pr. 339, b. 338 

n, Alfred, pr. 143, b. 340 

n, Richard, pr. 351 
Hartford, Walter G.. pr. 339 
Harwood, John C, 189 
Haskell, Lewis T., pr. 339, b. 340 
Haskell, William H., pr. 210, b. 341 
Hatheway, William H., b. 341 
Hav.-ns, Silas B., pr. 339, b. 342 
Havens, William D. .S., pr. 339, b. 343 
Hay, James H., pr. 347. 1). 344 
Hayes, Patrick E., pr. 347. b. 3.4 
Hayward, Fred A., pr. 347, b. 344 
Herrmann, William F., pr. 359 
Hodges, Frank B., pr. 347, b. 345 
Hollidiiy, WiMiam M., pr. 471, b. 345 
Hood, John P., pr. 346, b. 345 
Horton, Frederick A., pr. 347. b. 348 
Horton, Oren S.. pr. 347, b. 348 
Horton, Otis H., pr. 365, b. 349 



Howe, Georgi: J.. M. D., pr. 2.7, b. 349 

Hughes, 'I'homas F., pr. 363, b. 340 

Humes, Albert H., b. 350 

Hunt, Daniel A., b. 350 

Jackson, David, pr. 359, b. 352 

Jackson, Waller H., pr. 359, b. 352 

Jenkinson, John, pr. 35Q, b. 357 

Jenks, Charles H,, pr. 359, b. 352 

Jenks. Frank R , pr. 359, b, 354 

Jcnks. Henry F., 354 

Jenks, James L . pr. 381, b. 356 

Jenks, Isaac T., pr, 495, b. 498 

Jenks, Pardon, pr. 361, b. 357 

Jillson, Oscar A , pr 115, b. 357 

Jones, George W., pr. 471, b. 357 

Jtidson, J. Kdwin, pr. 361, b. 358 

Keene, William F., pr. 361, b 358 

Kendall, Robert A., pr. 361, b 358 

Kent, George W , 360 

Kenypn, John J , pr. 99, b 362, 498 

Kinney, Charles F., pr. 361, b. 362 

Kinnicutt, Shubael, 190 

Kinsman, .Addison, pr, 364, b 362 

Kinyon. Myron T., 364 

Krahl, Henry, pr 361, b. 365 

T.add, l.orin G , pr 107, b. 365 

Lane, Edward W., M. D , pr 229, b. 365 

Lang, Hans, pr. 371, b. 365 

Leach, Charles A., pr. 471, b. 366 

Lee, Charles A , pr. opp. 188, b. 366 

Lee, Stephen, pr. 211, b 367 

LcFavour, David, pr. 88, b. 367 

Lemley, David B., pr. 385, b. 368 

Lennon, Bernard T.. pr. 229, b, 368 

Lennon, Peter, pr. 130, b 368 

Leonard, Henry, 369 

Leslie, Alexander, pr. 471, b. 369 

Lewis, Enoch, pr. 371, b. 369 

Linnell, Renjamin F. G., pr. 353, b. 370 

Little, John W.. pr. 371, b 370 

Littlefield, Alfred ?L, pr. opp. 222, b. 372 

Littlefield. Daniel G., pr. opp. 226, b. 373 

Littlefield, Nathan W., 374 

Lisabelie, Thomas, pr. 475, b. 370 

Lockwood, Lawrence A , pr. 371, b. 375 

Lumb, George H , b. 376 

Lull, Harry F., b 375 

Lull, Proctor C, pr. 371, b. 376 

Luther. Charles F., pr. 495, b. 498 

Lynd, Henry J., pr. 371, b. 376 

MacColl, James R.. pr. 112. b. 377 

Mackillop, Robert K., pr. 222, b. 377 

Maguire, John T., pr. 378, b. 377 

Manchester, William C , b. 378 

Mann. Arthur B., pr. 169, b. 378 

Marran, William, pr. 475, b. 379 

Martin, Richard, pr 389, b. 379 

Martin, William J., pr. 389, b. 380 

Mason, Frederick R., b. 382 

Mason, Robert D., pr. ioq, b. 382 

Massman, Adolph W., pr. 475, b. 384 

Mathieu, Joseph E. V.. M. D., 380 

Malhewson, Lester L, 383 

Mathewson, Thomas A.. 383 

McCabe, Bernard, pr. 389, b. 3S4 

McCailum, Charles A., pr. 178, b. 384 

McCaughey, Bernard, pr 386, b. 384 

McCaughey, Edward, b. 384. 

McCaughey. Joseph H , b. 387 

McCaughey, William S., pr. 493. b 499 

McDuff, Henry C , pr. 102, b. 387 

McGowan, Michael, pr. 388, b 387 

McGregor, Rev. Alexander, pr. 110, b. 388 

McUvain. J. Morton, M. D., pr. 389. b 3Q0 

McKenna, Frank A , M. D., pr 389, b. 388 

McKenna, Frank, b. 390 

McManus. Peter B., pr. 121, b. 390 

Meacham, Randall, 189 

Mciklejobn, John W., pr. 475, b. 391 

Miclette, Oliver, pr. 229, b. 391 

Miller, Joseph W , pr 96, b 391 

Miller, R^iiben K , pr. 185, b. 39? 



Moies, Charles P., pr. 163, b 392 

Moncrief. James A., pr. 389, b. 394 

Moroney, William P., 394 

Morse, Francis D., pr. 123, b. 396 

Morse, Frederic A., b. 396 

Murphy, Daniel, pr. 401, b. 396 

Murray, Martin, pr. 194, b. 195 

Murray, Patrick J , pr. 106, b. 397 

Newell, Frank A., pr. 401, b. 397 

Newell. Fred E., pr. 398, b. 397 

Newell, George E , pr. 97, b. 398 

Newell, Oscar A., pr. 401, b. 399 

Newell, William, pr. 401, b. 400 

Nicholson, James E,, pr 401, b. 400 

Nickerson, Ansel D., pr. 137, b. 402 

Nickerson, James P.. b. 403 

O'Brien, Edward, pr. 401, b. 403 

O'Connor, John F., pr. iiq, b. 403 

Olney, (Jeorge B., b. 403 

O'Maliey, Patrick, 404 

O'Neill, Daniel. 404 

O'Neill, William H., b. 405 

Orswell. Edmund W.. pr. 381. b. 405 

Orswell. Gardner, b 405 

Ott, Joseph, pr. 145, b 405 

Park. Wdliam H., pr 65 

Patt, Frederick A , pr. 435, b. 406 

Patt, Irving F., pr. 179, b. 407 

Payne, Charles, b 407 

Payne, George W., pr. 381, b. 407 

Payne. James R., pr. 4" 

Payne. J. Milton, b. 408 

Peck, CJeorge C, 408 

Peirce, Clarence E , b. 409 

Perrin, Edwin A., pr. 181, b. 40Q 

Perry, Fred G., b. 410 

Perry, James A , pr. 411. b. 410 

Perry. Oliver H . 412 

Pervear, Charles K., pr. 228, b 413 

Pettis, George H.. 414 

Phillips, Francis J,, pr. 411. b. 415 

Phillips. Frederick E , b. 415 

Phillips, Henry S . pr. 411, b 416 

Phinney. Squire Z., pr. 108, b. 416 

Pierce, Alonzo E , pr. 411, b. 416 

Pierce, Henry A , b. 417 

Pierce, Sanford R., pr. 435. b. 417 

Pohlson, Carl V., pr. 269, b 41S 

Poole, Henry, pr. 411, b. 418 

Potter, James C, pr. 148, b. 418 

Potter, William H., 499 

Pratt, Gilbert W., pr. 215, b. 420 

Pray, George W., b. 420 

Prior, Andrew, pr. 153, b. 420 

Quigg, Alfred W , pr. 435, b. 420 

Quinn, William H., pr. 167, b. 421 

Read, John B., pr. loi, b. 421 

Rice, Randall H., 422 

Robbins, Walter M., pr. 227, b, 423 

Robinson, Thomas, pr. 141, b. 423 

Robinson, Thomas W., pr. 205, b. 424 

Rogers, Carlos L. , pr. 206, b 425 

Rounds, Horatio M pr. 435, b. 425 

Rousmaniere, John E., pr. i8q, b 190 

Rowbotham, R. W., pr. 435, b. 425 

Russell, Henry H., pr 475, b. 426 

Ryan, John M , b. 426 

St. Germain, N. Edouard de, pr. 435, b. 426 

Sawyer, John D.. pr. 229, b. 427 

Sayles, Clark, pr, 429, b. 428 

Sayles. Family, The, b. 427 

Sayles, Frederic C, pr. opp. 430, b. 430 

Sayles, William F,. pr. opp. 432, b. 431 

Sayles, William R , b. 434 

Schiller, Hector, 436 

Scholze. William F , pr. 445, b. 436 

Sheldon, H. Herbert, 437 

Sheldon, Charles H., pr. 438, b. 439 

Sheldon. Philip C. 438 

Sheahan, Thomas S , b. 436 

Sherman. Albert R., pr. 87, b. 4iy 



Sherman, Robert, pr. 191, b. 190 
Sherman, Sylvester C. pr. 445, b. 439 
Shove, Isaac, pr. 93, b. 439 
Sibley, John S., 191 
Sidebottom, Abram M., 440 
Simmons, Robert H., pr. 453 
Sisson, Charles, pr.127, b. 440 
Slocum, William H., pr. 153. b. 441 
Smales. George, pr. 106, b. 441 
Smith, Benjamin F , pr. 445, b. 441 
Smith, Edmund H.. pr. 445, b. 442 
Smith, Edward, pr. 214, b. 442 
Smith, Henry T., pr. 65, b. 443 
Smith, John P , pr. 467, b. 443 
Snow, J. Frank, pr. 445, b. 443 
Snow, Robert J., pr. 445, b. 444 
Spaulding, George H., pr. 403, b 444 
Spencer, Charles L , b. 446 
Spencer, Henry L.. pr. 90, b. 446 
Spencer, Micah W., pr. 453, b. 447 
Spring, Merrill, pr. 453, b. 447 
Stanley, Arthur W , pr. 127, b 447 
Stearns, Henry A , pr. opp. 426, b. 448 
Stephans, Jacob, pr. 185, b. 448 
Stillman, (Jeorge C, pr. 453, b. 449 
Stiness, Samuel G., pr. 381, b. 449 
Stratton, Arthur T., pr. 96, b. 450 
Sutcliffe Co., The Adam, pr. 451, b. 450 
Taylor, Jr.de, pr. 81, b. 451 
Tenney, Alfred E , pr. 83, b. 451 
Thayer, Family, The, b. 452. 
Thayer, Edward, pr. opp. 454, b. 455 
Thayer, Ellis, pr 153, b. 455 
Thayer, Philo E , pr. 205, b. 456 
Thompson, Andrew A., pr. 453, b. 457 
Thompson, John E.. pr. 230, b. 457 
Thomson, James, Jr., pr. 453, b. 457 
I'hornton, George M.^ pr, opp. 458, b. 458 
Thurber, Charles E-, pr. 475, b. 459 
Tiepke, Henry E., pr. 196 , b. 459 
Tillinghast. Pardon E., pr. 93, b, 460 
Tingley, George S , b. 461 
Trescott, Waldo, pr. 385, b. 462 
True, Herbert O., M. D., pr. 225 
Turner, John D , 462 
Upham. Lester W., pr. opp. 188. b. 463 
Wadsworth, John, pr. 479, b. 463 
Walker, John H., pr. 464, b. 463 
Walker. \"-"'— 'i R., pr. 105, b. 464 
Walk -_ 

W. / 

Wa> c. .. ■ . 

W, 



, Frank N.. b. . 
Wat iodgett, Edward G.. 25^ > 

WatJ'^Hp-ett William W., b. 2/ 

Wea.. . . ..^. ;.^oi-gc, pr. 220, D. 472 

Weatherhead, John, pr. 119, b. 472 
Webb, George H., pr. 05, b. 473 
Weeden, John H., b. 473 
Westcott, Frank W., pr. 106, b. 474 
Wheaton, James L., M. D.. pr opp. 180. 
Whipple, Nathan W., 476 
Whitaker, Stephen, pr. 483, b. 478 
White, David J., pr. 65, b. 476 
White, Frederic H.. pr. 479, b. 476 
White, J. Ellis, pr. 483, b. 471 
White, Joshua S., pr, 126, b. 477 
White. Mrs., "The Rousmaniere," b. 42; 
White, Willis H , b. 477 
Whitney, Lemuel, pr. 479, b. 47S 
Wilber, James H., pr. 479- b. 480 
Willmarth, Daniel L., pr. 479. b. 480 
WiUmarth. John W., pr. 206, b. 481 
Wilkinson. Isaac R., 480 
Wilson, James, pr. 108, b. 481 
Wilson. Robert, pr. 123, b. 482 
Wood. Alanson P., or. 483, b. 482 
Wood, Charles D., pr. 65, b. 484 
Woodhcad. Thomas A., 484 
Woolley, Rev. Joseph J., pr. 485. b. 484 
Young Men's Christian Association, 485 




INTRODUCTORY. 



Tin-; SCOI'K AND INTENT OF THE BOOK. 



CATHOLIC OAK, LONSDALE, 



bled either in 
or nations, co 
the general 
of the social 



V,^NE of the new 
conceptions 
of the age is 
the recogni- 
tion of the 
fact that com- 
munities o f 
h u man b e- 
ings, assem- 
towns, cities, states, 
-rganisms subject to 
elopment. The form 
in any particular in- 



stance, is the one tliat, taking into account 
all the peculiarities of the environment, the 
influence of heredity, and the competition of 
its neighbors, is best fitted to sur\-ive — to 
maintain itself — under the conditions existing. 
The social entity thus created has a distinct life, 
which may be modified, vitalized, or directed bj- 
individuals in proportion to their strength of 
will or character, Ijut cannot be destroyed or 
turned aside. The idios\ncracies of a com- 
munity persist long after the causes which pro- 
duced them have been lost sight of, and its 
character as a distinct microcosm is as well 



fornuilated in popular consciousness as is that 
of any public man of the day. 

The causes which have operated to develop a 
city in one particular location rather than in an- 
other, the influences which have promoted its 
growth, and the forces which ha\e controlled its 
life are not readily discernible b\- superficial ex- 
amination. To arrive at a knowledge of these 
essentials, the beginnings mu.st be .studied. What 
sort of people they were who first settled on the 
land, what their lieliefs were in religion and 
politics, what form of government they inaug- 
urated, what relations thej- bore to their neigh- 
bors and to other communities, and what was the 
character and scope of their industry — all are 
important inquiries in arriving at a true idea of 
the genesis and progress of anj- social group. 
The operation of all these diverse influences may 
result in the creation of a body of people bound 
together by political and social ties, whose his- 
tory, running smoothly without dramatic inci- 
dents, ma\- yet show rich and varied achievement 
in the best lines of human endeavor. 

In the following pages an attempt has been 
made to lell the story of the unfolding of the 
comnumity now comprised in the cities of 



ILLU.STRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 




NATHANIEL JENKS' HOUSE. WEST END. 

HE 18TH CENTURY. FROM PHOTOGRAPH IN POSSESSION Ol 



Pawtucket and Central Falls along the broad 
lines just laid down ; to trace briefly, but at the 
same time compreheusiveh-, the various steps 
ill the progress of the community from its 
insignificant beginnings until the present. 

The first scene in the story is a clearing in 
the wilderness, liy the side of a picturesque 
waterfall, whose power was without doulit 
utilized to turn the machines of the pioneer 
settler, one of the first skilled workers in iron 
on the American Continent. As he went on 
with his work of supplying other pioneers who 
were engaged in subduing the wilderness, and in 
l)ringing its savage denizens, both man and beast, 
into subjection, the maker of tools and weapons 
became a man of consequence and distinction. 
His work was of prime necessity. Under the 
prevailing conditions, without his skill of hand 
and brain, or that of some other man similarly 
gifted, social progress would have been impos- 
sible. His workshop became a nucleus, a 
social nerve centre, to which other pioneers 
constantly gravitated in search of the essential 
tools they needed ; and the neighborhood, 
because of this fact, had unmistakable social 



advantages, which attracted and re- 
tained other pioneers, who here estab- 
lished their homes. Thus began the 
settlement at Pawtucket falls, around 
the home and forge of Joseph Jenks, Jr. 
The pro.sperity of the worker in iron 
continued to increase and descended to 
his children. The famil\- took its place 
among the leading ones in the state, 
and its leader in the second generation 
attained to the dignity of governor of 
the colony. But the settlement at Paw- 
tucket falls, although meanwhile slowly 
increasing, was >et in a sense the 
pri\-ate domain of the Jeukses, was at 
^^°' least dominated by them, and as an in- 

dependent community was in a state of clir\salis. 
At first the locality was within the jurisdiction 
of Providence, and afterward in the l>ounds of 
North Providence, Init in itself it was only an 
outlying hamlet of no more imijortance than 
many another similar group of dwellings. As 
a part successively of the two towns it had a 
share in their life and development, while at 
the same time the course of events was prepar- 
ing the insignificant village for a larger future 
and a life of its own. 

On the east side of the river at the falls, a 
similar but smaller hamlet slowly grew up in 
the beginning and middle of the eighteenth 
century, attracted no doubt primarily by the 
proximity of the Jenks' forge. Although in the 
limits of another colony, the natural bonds of 
similarit}' of occupation and human fellowship 
resulting from propinquity gradually brought 
about a social unity lietween the two hamlets. 
The building of the first bridge in 1713 was the 
first visible bond of union, although it was 
intended more as a means of general travel 
than as a connecting ligament between the two 
groups of widely scattered dwellings at the 



INTRODUCTORY 



(alls. Yet it broua;ht into heiiiij the germ of 
the sentiment of social nnity, which grew and 
strengtliened until the cit\- of to-da>' was made 
possible. 

Conditions did not change substantially for 
the villages at the falls until after the war of 
the revolution. The iron works continued to 
be the principal industry, anil the water power 
was utilized likewise to run saw and grist mills, 
and without doubt other operations of the 
industry of the period. Both communities 
were no larger than some of the remote vil- 
lages on the upper waters of the mill streams 
at the present day. The conditions of life were 
far more primitive than in the present da>' fac- 
tor}' hamlet, iK-cause only the heaviest and 
roughest work was done b\- machinery, the 
roadways were only cart-]iaths, and every 
household perfiirmed the larger part of the 
lalior in creating the raw material of food, 
clothing and shelter. Cloth was woven 
and garments made in each home, 
the household utensils were made very 
largely by members of the family, and 
the food was obtained directly from the 
land or water. Industry was special- 
ized to a limited extent in .some lines, 
but with the increase of population and 
the extension of the commerce of Prov- 
idence after the revolution, a great 
impetus was given in this direction. 

Rumors of great and marvelous im- 
provements in machinery then in use in 
the old world had reached the ears of the 
dwellers in the forests of America, and 
they began a quest after the strange 
automatons that to their imaginations 
contained the potentialty of so nnich 
wealth and happiness for all the human 
family. Experiments were made with 
machines by nian\' men in man\ jilaces 



on this continent, but the glory and honor was 
reserved for Pawtucket of being the scene where 
modern mechanical industry in America was 
started on its career by the successful introduc- 
tion of cotton spinning and the preparatory pro- 
cesses by Samuel Slater in 1790. The cotton 
spinning machines were the first of that won- 
derful series of mechanical inventions, which 
inaugurated the present indu.strial era, and 
the first to bring about on a large scale the 
factory sj-.stem in place of the domestic or 
household sy.stem of production. Pawtucket 
was selected because of its ea.silj- utilized water 
power. Thus the same factor which made the 
locality the best available site for the pioneer 
iron-worker, whose industry was so necessary 
in the beginning of civilized occupancy of the 
land, made it also the most desirable site for the 
new manufacture. 

The second scene in the history of Paw- 




MATHANIEL JENKS' HOUSE. EAST END. 
IT STOOD ON THE WEST SIDE OF NORTH MAIN, NEAR EXCHANGE STREET. 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



tucket occiinx-d in the- little Imililing overlook- 
ing the falls on the Rhode Island side, where 
Slater, with the aid of David Wilkinson, Sylva- 
nus Brown, and other mechanics, put the cotton 
spinning machinery in motion. Under his capa- 
ble direction the business increased, he and his 
associates built mills on both sides of the river ; 
the younger mechanics in the place, David Wil- 
kinson and others, began the construction of 
cotton machinery ; the mills and machine shops 
became in effect technical schools, in which were 
trained the men who went forth to carry the new 
industry into all parts of the country. As an 
effect, Pawtucket increased in population and 
gradually Viecame a town, in the sense of being 
a compact connnunity, in place of a .straggling 
village. By the building of the factories on 
both sides of the stream, the two communities 
became to a greater extent than ever before 
one place industrially and .socially, although 
for many years longer they were destined to 
remain apart politically. 

Pawtucket as a self-conscious community 
dates from the introduction of cotton spinning. 
Previous to that time it had no di.stinct existence 



as a separate community, but was only consid- 
ered or thought of as a district of the two towns 
of which it respectively formed a part. Since 
that ]ieriod it has gone on develojiing as a dis- 
tinct social anil industrial entity, its separate 
interests and the coherence of its parts Ijecoming 
more pronounced, tintil the two communities 
became one politically in 1874. In 1885 the 
form of government was changed from a town to 
a cit>-. 

The following pages are devoted to a narra- 
tive of this development, containing an account 
of the first settlements, the men who ha\e con- 
tributed to the upbuilding of the community, the 
new industrial system, the state of society 
resulting therefrom, and the position and rela- 
tion of Pawtucket thereto, together with an 
account in detail of the modern cit>', with its 
various municipal improvements, educational 
advantages, transportation facilities, commerce, 
art, literature, religion, politics, societies, and 
in general the multiform phases of life which go 
to make up the sum of existence of a modern 
municipality. 




CHAPTER I. 



PHYSICAL CnARACTKRISTICS-TIII' RIVl'.R— WILLIAM BLACKSTOXK— THK ABORICIXRS. 




BLACKSTONE MONUMENT, 



Ifi cit>- of Pawtucket lies on 
both sides of the 
Blackstone river at 
the head of the Paw- 
tucket* river, a beau- 
tiful and navigable 
tidal liasiu about four 
and one-half miles in 
length, and from a 
quarter to half a mile 
wide, which unites 
'"°'"'°*'"^' with Xarragansett 

Bay at Providence Harbor. The Blackstone 
river joins the Pawtucket by a plunge over an 
irregular mass of rock, forming not one dis- 
tinct fall over a perpendicular precipice, but 
rather a group of falls, presenting various 
faces. B}' the con.struction of dams, and the 
filling in of spaces between the rocks, the 
scene has been rendered much more connnon- 
place than it was originall}-. In early times, 
before the water power was utilized to any 
great extent, the falls presented a picturesque 
combination, the water flowing over the pro- 
jecting and jagged faces of an innnense ledge of 
rocks, and their aspect varied con.stantly accord- 



*This tiilal river is named Pawtucket on the V. S. 
Government maps, and by the inhabitants of Paw- 
tucket ; but on State maps and on those of the City 
of Providence it is given as Seekonk. 



ing to the season of the year and the volume of 
water.* 

Except at times of freshet, or in winter when 
coated with ice, the character of the falls, with 
their projecting rocks, made the passage of the 
ri\-er at this point easy. The rocks afforded a 
means of crossing the stream, and as a conse- 
quence the Indian paths converged at the falls. 
Immediately below the falls was a deep pool, 
but a little farther down the water was usually 
shallow enough to wade acrosfi, especially when 
thetiile wasout. In the natural order of events the 
white men utilized these already clearly defined 
trails, and as intercourse between the colonies 
and the various scattered settlements increased 
these paths eventually became main traveled 
roads. Such was the history of the way to the 
falls. It was on the direct road from Boston to 
Providence, and thence to Hartford and New 
York, and very .soon the natural means of cross- 
ing the river were supplemented li>- a bridge, 
one of the earliest in the countrw 

The falls have always been the nucleus or 
gathering point of the immediate vicinage on 
both sides of the .stream, and they are the centre 
around which the present community clusters. 
They may indeed be said to be the phj-sical 

♦Benedict's Reminiscences, No. 19, Pawt. Gazette 

and Chronicle, July '2i), 1853. 



14 



ILLUvSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



heart of the iieii;hl)orhood, cis they furnished 
origiiiall}- the motive power for the forge of the 
first settler, and have ever since been harnessed 
in the service of man. In fact, people settled 
here anil the place developed into a community 
because the river could so readily and effect- 
uallv be jiut to work. 

Including the territory in the new city of 
Central Falls, at the northwest of Pawtucket, 
the area of the indu.strial community which is 
one in business interests and social ties and which 
is dominated by Pawtucket, is about twelve 
square miles, and the Blackstone river divides 
it into two nearly equal sections, each about 
three miles long by two wide. The river flows 
east along the northern limits of Central Falls, 
and then turning sharply to the south passes in 
an almost straight cour.se of about two miles, 
between high banks, first between Central Falls 
and Paw^tucket, then bisects Pawtucket, finally 
plunging' over the falls into the Seekonk, which 
in the first part of its course is within the limits 
of Pawtucket. 

The lower falls were originally only the final 
links in a chain of cataracts. The water in the 
Valley Falls pond, as that portion of the river 
north of Central F'alls is now called, is about fifty 
feet above tide le\-el. It flowed out of that basin 
over a ra]iids, now utilized as a water power at 
X'ailey I'alls. A mile further down, at Central 
Falls, it passed over a ledge of rock now also 
utilized as a waterpower by the con.struction of 
dams. In this part of its course the river 
descends over twenty-five feet, and at the lower 
or main falls about an equal distance, accom- 
plishing this descent of fifty feet in the two miles 
from the Valley Falls pond, by three separate 
steps. The history of these rapids or falls has 
been ])reserved in the names of the places. 
Valley F'alls, Central Falls, and Pawtucket 
Falls. Probably the name Pawtucket applied 



originally to the three falls with an especial 
reference to the main cataract. This assumj)- 
tion is rendered probable b>- the claim that the 
word Pawtucket* means in the language of 
the Indians, a waterfall place, or the region of 
waterfalls, and certainly the territory- now occu- 
pied by the two cities of Pawtucket and Central 
Falls merits such a designation to a greater 
degree than any other locality in Rhode Island. 

On the east side, the river banks are uni- 
formly high and steep, rising quite abru]itl\- from 
fifteen to thirt\- feet. The territory is in general 
flat, in some parts slightly undulating and the soil 
is sandy and comparatively sterile. This por- 
tion of Pawtucket is bounded on the east by a 
small stream, the Ten Mile river, which unites 
with the Seekonk about two miles below the 
falls. 

The west side has more diversified physical 
characteristics than the east side. At the south 
and west there is a considerable extent of level 
land : but the greater portion of the section, 
constituting the watershed between the Black- 
stone and the Moshassuck rivers, the latter at 
present an insignificant stream, rises in some 
places into a high ridge, on the highest points 
of which are outcroping ledges. The land 
.slopes li>' a grailual descent to the valley of the 
Moshassuck, but the banks of the Blackstone 
are in most places high, although in both direc- 
tions from the falls a low tract inter\-enes 
between the river and the central ridge. Prob- 
ably this low lying land is what constituted the 
" Fields at Pawtucket " in the first Indian deed, 
and certainly this configuration of the western 
river bank, made the first establishing of the 
forge of Joseph Jenks possible and facilitated 
the original cotton manufacture. 

The Black.stone river rises in the vState of 

♦Trumbull's Indian Names in Connecticut, p. 49 ; 
also see R. I. State Census, 1885, p. 40. 



WILLIAM BLACKSTOXE. 



15 



Massachusetts about teu Hiik-s uorth of Wor- 
cester, aud flows in a southeasterly directiou, 
entering Rhode Island at the northeast. Al- 
though comparatively an insignificant stream, in 
every portion of its course it is utilized to drive 
mill wheels, its banks are dotted with a succes- 
sion of towns and villages, and it has probably 
been made to work in the ser\-ice of man, like a 
fabled giant, more than any other river of its 
size in the country. 

The river is named in honor of William 
Blackstone, or Blaxton, 
an English clergyman, 
the first white settler in 
Rhode Island of which 
any record exists. He 
has also the unique dis- 
tinction of being the 
fir.st white settler on the 
peninsula of Shawmut, 
where the city of Boston 
now stands. He is sup- 
posed to have settled 
there as early as 1623,* 
for before the arrival of 
the Puritans in 1630 he 
had brought an orchard 
to maturity. At his invi- 
tation, Winthropand his 
people crossed the stream 
from their first habitation 

at Charle.stown and settled at vShawmut. It has 
been claimed that the new comers at fir.st dis- 
puted Blackstone 's right to the territory on the 
plea that they had a grant from the king of 
England but he is said to have answered that a 
title based on occupancy was superior to one 



resting on the king's asserted .so\-ereignity, 
which had no other foundation than the fact 
that John and Sebastian Cabot had sailed along 
the coast. Tlie Puritans finally recognized his 
right to at least a ])ortion of the territory, set 
off to him 50 acres — where his house and orchard 
stood — and admitted him a freeman. May iS, 
1 63 1, before that right was restricted to church 
members. Although an ordained minister of 
the I{stablished Church of England, Blackstone 
had become an extreme independent, with a 




*In a manuscript note to an address on " Black- 
stone " delivered at Lonsdale, July 4, 185.5, by S. C. 
Newman, it is said that Blackstone came to America 
with Gorijes expedition in 1623. This note was w ritten 
and signed by Mr. Newman himself. 



FOOT OF BROADWAY IN 1825. THEN KNOWN AS THE BOSTON TURNPIKE. 



belief in freedom of conscience and a dislike to 
religious forms and ceremonies. The intoler- 
ance of the Puritans evidenth- irritated him, for 
in 1634 he sold a large part of his land for 
^30 and ventured forth into the wilderness in 
search of a new abode. Tradition reports him 
to have said in explanation of his course, " I 
came from England because I did not like the 
Lord- Bi.sh ops, but I cannot join with you because 
I would not be under the Lord-Brethren." 



i6 



ILLX'STRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



In tlie spring of 1635 he settled at a place the 
Indians called Wawepoonseag, and erected his 
house near where the Lonsdale railroad station 
now stands in the town of Cumberland, and on 
the banks of the river which now bears his 
name. Near his house was a steep hill rising 
to the height of seventy feet, which he called 
" vStudy Hill" and his house " Study Hall." 
Here he lived for forty years, but not alone, as 
the records of Bo.ston show that he was married 
to Sarah vSteven.son, widow, on July 4th, 1659, 
by Governor John lindicott. His wife tlied in 
the middle of June, 1673, and he sunived her 
nearly two years, dying at Study Hall, May 
26th, 1675, a short time before the outbreak of 
King Philip's war, during which his house and 
library were burned. His remains were 
disinterred* May 6, 1886, and reburied near 
their original resting place, the .spot now being 
marked by a monument erected b)^ the Lon.sdale 
Company in 1886, in the yard of the Ann and 
Hope Mill. 

The General Assembly of the Rhode Island 
Colony in 1668, in answer to Blackstone's peti- 
tion, took measures to protect him from molesta- 
tion and to prevent encroachments on his land. 
The Providence town records, under date of 
June 27, 1671, refer to " Mr. Blackstone's 
river," which is the earlie.st use of the name 
known, although after that period the lower 
part, at and below the falls, was usually called 
the Pawtucket. Robert Williams sold to Wil- 
liam Blackstone in 1650, sixtj- acres of upland, 
near the second wading placet above Paw- 
tucket falls. Mr. Blackstone was a friend of 
Roger Williams. He occasionally came to 
Providence to preach, bringing with him apples 
for the children from his orchard — the only one 

*R. I. State Census, 1885, p. 3-t. 
tProvidence Town Recortls, vol. 2, p. 9. 



in the colony — and riding on a tame white bull.* 
He left one son, John, who is reported 
to have removed to near New Haven, Conn., 
where his descendants are said to have mani- 
fested the love of solitude that characterized 
their noted ancestor.! 

The geological formation at Pawtucket and 
vicinity presents sonre novel and unusual fea- 
tures. Recently the theory has been advanced 
that the Blackstone River, in pre-glacial times, 
instead of following its present channel over the 
falls from the Valley Falls pond, came down 
from what is now Lonsdale in a mighty stream, 
through the jaresent Scott's pond and the valley 
of the Mo.shassuck into tide water at Providence. 

The physical evidences of this theory* are 
very conclusive. The present valley of the 
Moshassuck river from Saylesville to the city of 
Providence can only be accounted for by the 
presence in remote geologic times of a large 
river ; but the existing stream, with the sources 
of supply it now has, or its possible sources 
above vSaylesville, could not have prodticed the 
erosion of this great valle}-, the largest in the 
immediate region. When the great ice cap, 
that once encroached on the face of the coun- 
try on the North Atlantic seaboard, began to 
dwindle away, the sand and boulders brought 
down from the northern mountain slopes, were 
deposited as the}" chanced to lie in the ice, form- 
ing the moraines at the ends of points of land 
and elevations and depressions on the levels. 
The ridge of land between Valley Falls pond 
and Scott's pond is formed of this sort of 
material. It was probabh" deposited as the 
glacier receded, and became a great natural 

*Hist. of Prov., by Gov. S. Hopkins. 

tHist. of Rehoboth, p. 13. 

JLecture before the Franklin Societ)-, Provi- 
dence, by David W. Hoyt, Oct. 29, 1895, on "The 
Pre-glacial Blackstone River." 



THE BLACKSTONE RIVER. 




dam lor the waters 
of the river. With 
the continued melt- 
ing of the ice the 
water increased con- 
stantly in volume, 
and fiuiling no out- 
let through its pre- 
glacial channel, fin- 
ally worketl its wax- 
down its present 
course over the rap- 
ids and the falls. 
The old channel was 
an almost straight 
course to Provi- 
dence, Init the pres- 
ent channel makes 

an abrupt bend to the east, before it turns 
again to the south in its search for the sea. 
Scott's pond, when the Blackstone canal was 
constructed in 1825, was converted with the 
connecting body of water above, known as Cran- 
berry pond, two feet above its level, into a 
series of locks connecting the Moshassuck val- 
ley with the Blackstone valley. When the 
canal was discontinued these locks became the 
present pond, the water rising to the level of 
the highest lock, seventeen feet above the orig- 
inal Scott's pond and fifteen feet above Cran- 
berry pond, on same kn-el as the river above 
Lon.sdale. This bodj' of water is now a storage 
reservoir and the waters of the lower pond 
cover the banks and channel of the old canal. 
It has no known outlet or source of supply 
except the Blackstone river. 

The fact that the Blackstone canal utilized 
the Moshassuck river and Scott's and Cran- 
berry ponds toreach the Black.stone river, because 
they were on the lines of lea.st resistance, is 
strong prestimptive e\-idence of the fact that 



PLEASANT STREET AND THE TOWN LANDING IN 1630. 



this was the old river channel. Another cor- 
roborative fact is, that large quantities of water 
are obtained 1)\- dri\-en wells from the bed of 
the old channel at vSajlesville, and in Providence 
at the Silver vSpring Bleachery. Probably the 
water forced b\' the great head it has at Scott's 
pond, fifteen feet above the waters of the pond 
at Saylesville in the inunediate vicinity, forces 
its way subterranouslj- through the loose gravel 
of the ancient riverbed ; and, although probably 
in no sense forming an underground river, yet 
it percolates in sufficient quantities to form a 
large stream. No other theory so fittingly- 
explains wh\- such large ([uantities of water 
can be obtained b\- such wells from the strata 
above bed rock. 

When Roger Williams and his associates .set- 
tled at Providence in 1 6,^6, the land the\' chiefly 
desired was that which was suitable for cidti\'a- 
tion or the jiaslming of cattle. In the original 
deed* from the Indian chiefs the "meadows 

*See chapter L', pp. _.'> and L'(i. 



ILLl'STRATKl) HISTORY OF PAWTT'CKET. 



upon the two rivers" were cspeciiilly men- 
tioiitd ; ami in the memorandum to tliis deed 
Miantonomi ;; ranted the use ol the natural 
" meadows " up the streams of Pawtucket and 
Pawtuxet without limit " for the use of cattle." 
The northern 1)ounds of the territory that, by 
the language of this deed, seems to have been 
purchased outright was " the river and fields at 
Pawtucket" four miles from the infant .settle- 
ment at Providence. This is the first mention 
of Pawtucket in history, and reference is un- 
doubtedly had to the region and neighborhood 
of the falls on the west side. 

The appearance and character of the sur- 
roundings at the falls did not attract the first 
settlers of Providence. Such meadows as 
existed near the river were not easih' access- 
ible ; the banks of the stream were high, pre- 
cipituous, and covered with forests ; in the 
vicinity were many outcroping ledges ; and in 
general the whole neighborhood was wild, 
bleak and barren, but at the same time it was 
picturesque and had man\' charms of natural 
beauty of scenery. The pioneers, however, were 
not looking for beautiful landscapes : they were 
utilitarians, and sought to accomplish the tasks 
of creating homes and obtaining subsistence 
with the least possible exertion and in the most 
accessible places. The vicinity of the falls did 
not offer them the inducements in these respects 
that other regions did, and con.sequently for 
nearly the first half century of the hi.story of 
Providence, Pawtucket falls was simply a 
notable lantlmark, the northern boundary of 
the town and colony. 

As an evidence of the value w-hich the first 
inhabitants of Providence placed upon the land 
near the falls, a document* dated loth day, yth 
month, 1646, and signed by Roger Williams, 



•.\nnals of Prov., p. .5{)(j ; R. I. Col. Rec, vol. 1, 



p. Xi. 



Robert Williams, Oregory Dexter and Tlio. 
Olne\', furnishes good and amusing testimony. 
They narrate in this paper how they had on 
their own and the town's behalf negotiated with 
Ousameijuin (Massasoit) for the purpose of 
buying his right to land between the town 
liniils "at Pawtucket and an Indian Plantation 
northwest from thence, Lo<|uas([uscil." The\- 
sa\' the land " was upland, anil mf)st of it liarren 
and rocky." Massasoit's title to it, in their ojiin- 
ion, was clouded, as he had been subject to the 
Narragansetts at the time of the first inirchase 
by Roger Williams, which gave the right of 
pasturage on this land ; but as he had been 
released from his subjection to the Narragan- 
setts it was thought best to Ijuy out his claim. 
He played fast and loose with the four conunis- 
sioners. They paitl him ten fathoms of white 
wampum, four coats of luiglish cloth, eight 
kni\-es, one hoe, and promised to deliver five 
more hoes and four knives or hatchets, which 
he agreed was satisfactory. After sleeping on 
this bargain he demanded first, two coats more, 
which was agreed to. Next morning he wanted 
four coats in addition, and also desired to buy 
shot : but the four commi.ssioners would not 
countenance such extortion, especially as they 
hatl already gi\'en other gratuities to suliordi- 
nates of the chief, and had spent in all " about 
fort\' fathoms of wampum." The Indian sachem 
brought out the moneys and goods and wanted 
to return them when his further demands were 
not acceded to, but the white men woidd net 
accept them. They reported that the\' "were 
not willing to wrong our country in granting his 
desire of four coats, and so unreasonably to 
raise the i)rice of such parcels of land in this 
barbarous wilderness." The}' concluded by 
claiming that as Ousamequin had received these 
goods and moneys "the said land, according to 
a fair and righteous bargain, belongs to the town 



THE INDIANS AT PAWTUCKl^T FALLS. 



19 




of P r o \- i d e n c e . " 
Without any doubt 
the territory thus 
secured was in the 
present boiuuls of 
Pawtucket, Central 
I-'alls and Lincohi, 
as the description 
of its physical char- 
acter and its loca- 
tion tallies substan- 
tially with the coun- 
try at present. Thus 
the title to at least 
a portion of the 
ground on which 
the community now 
lives passed to the whites from the Indians. 

The \-inage fathers at Pro\-idence, during the 
first half centur\- of the history of their little 
settlement, undoubledh- hunted in the woods in 
the neighborhood or fished in the waters at 
Pawtucket falls. These sports in those times 
and circumstances were rather of the nature of 
necessary occupations. That the settlers valued 
the opportunities for fishing* is evident from the 
vote of the town meeting in the spring of 167S 
to set apart a common at the falls for free fish- 
ing and la>- out a higlnva\- leading to it. 
The land owners, Joseph Jenks and Gregory 
Dexter, were to be recompensed for any land 
that might be taken in carr>-ing out these 
objects. 

According to tradition the falls were a 
favorite resort of the Indians at certain .seasons. 
Here the>' came to fish, and ]irinci]xilly to cap- 
ture the lordly salmon, which in its annual 
migrations found the foaming rapids of the 
waterfall no insurmountable obstacle to its pil- 

•I'rov. Town Records, vol. .H, pp. •_>'), I'S. 



PAWTUCKET FALLS EARLY IN THE CENTURY. 



grimage up and down the stream. Vet because 
the falls were an obstruction, the salmon, as well 
as the smaller fish, were forced at times t(.) con- 
gregate in great nund)ers in the pools at the 
foot of the rapids ; and here, in the days before 
the coming of the white men, no doubt the red 
men enjoyed rare sport. 

A much larger Indian jiopulation is, with 
good reason, believed to have dwelt in the woods 
and along the streams and shores of New Kng- 
land a few years before than was found in 
existence when the first white settlements were 
made. The early chroniclers among the 
English settlers report that the Indians them- 
selves told of a great ])lague which had carrieil 
off man>- of their people. In their palmy days, 
before this decrease in their numbers occurred, 
Avliat scenes the Pawtucket falls may ha\'e wit- 
nessed ^ In the spring and early summer, 
the steep slopes were doiditless dotted with the 
wigwams of the majority of the principal tribe 
or tribes in the \-icinit.\-. When the fish were 
running e\er\- man and boy could find work or 
sport enough in endeavoring with their ]irimi- 



ILLUvSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKRT. 



live iiR-thods and appliances to capture the swift 
darting denizens of the water. Probably spear- 
ing from canoes, from the shore by wading, and 
other wa>s, were ijracticed. What rejoicing 
there must have been in the temporary homes 
on the hillsides when the catch proved large ?* 
Then the children of the forest conld get a full 
meal, something, if the accounts of their \isitors 
and those who dwelt among them temporarily, 
were correct, they were not always certain of. 
The gathering.s at Pawtucket falls must ha\-e 
been gala occasions. Here was the red man's 
watering place, where he emerged from his 
winter lethargy, or state of lying dormant, and 
renewed his energ\- by a supply of food direct 
from the bosom of nature. Here, undoubtcdlN', 
peace and war were determined upon ; and in 
the neighboring woods councils of the various 
tribes of the vicinity ma}- have been held, and 
negotiations carried on around the camp fires. 

Diiinestic Hie such as existed among this 
primitive people also undoubtedly found expres- 
sion here on these occasions, and idyls as 
romantic as any that have since been the experi- 
ence of the more capable and happier race that 
have ,supplanted them, were no doubt experi- 
enced by the Indian youths and maidens. 

The leading Indian tribe which the settlers 
of Providence found in the land was the Narragan- 
setts, who controlled all the country around the 
bay to which they have given their name. 
Their jurisdiction extended over the present 
territory of Rhode Island, the i.slands in Narra- 
gan.sett Bay, and over large sections of Massa- 
chusetts and Connecticut. Manv sub-tribes 
w-ere subject to them, so that they constituted 



•EiUvanl Winslow and vStephen Hopkins, of 
I'lyniouth, visited Massasoit in 1621, when for several 
days hardly anything to eat was furnished, as it turned 
out because the Indians had no food on hand them- 
selves. Picturesque, R. I., p. !I4. 



the beginnings of a nation. The W'ampanoags, 
with their sachem Massasoit, on the east side of 
the bay, was one of these subject tribes, and had 
come under the dominion of the Narragansetts, 
it is supposed, only a short time before the 
arrival of the Pilgrims in 1620. This extension 
of the power of the Narragansetts was said to be 
due to the fact that the great pestilence* had 
reduced the number of the Wampanoags and 
their allies, while it had not affected the Narra- 
gansetts, and as a result the former tribe was 
greatly decimated and fell an easy prey to the 
latter. Another explanation of the supremacy 
of the Narragansetts was that Tashtassuck, the 
grandfather of one of the rtiling sachems at the 
time of the advent of the whites, had conquered all 
the surrounding tribes. t The principle village of 
the Narragan.setts was in the southwestern part 
of the present Rhode Island territory, in either 
North or South Kingstown, and this section is 
known locally even to this day as the Narragan- 
sett country. The tribe at this period had two 
chiefs or sachems, Canonicus and Miantonomi, 
uncle and nephew, who ruled conjoint!)'. 

Massasoit had always resented the stibjec- 
tioii of his people to the Narragansetts, and soon 
after the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth he 
effected an alliance with them which enabled 
him to throw off his allegiance.! The old 
deeds contain various references to this state 
of affairs. The Narragan.setts sent a handful of 
arrows, tied with a snakeskinS — a declaration 
of war — at the time this treaty of the Wampan- 
oags with the Plymouth people was made, but 
they did not follow it up with actual hostilities. 
To account for this forbearance the opinion has 



*Annals of Prov., pp. li, 1^ 
tAnnals of Prov., p. I'J. 
t.Annals of Prov., p. 18. 
§.-\nnals of Prov., p. 19. 



IXDIAN MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



been expressed that tlie\- had lost their warlike 
prowess which two generations before had 
enabled them to conquer their neiglibors. The 
tribe to the west and south was the Pecjuods, a 
warlike race, and at this time their sachem, 
Sassacus, proposed an alliance against the white 
men, for the purpose of dri\-ing them out of the 



The Indian people cultivated the soil in a 
]irimitive way, raised maize, beans, and other 
xeg-etables, but they had no domestic animals. 
'I'heir manufactures were few and rude. The\- 
did not untlerstand the working of metals, and 
their weapons and tools were of fiint and bone. 
Their clothing was chieflx' the skins of animals, 




THE OLD SLATER MILL AT PRESENT. 



country, but the Narragansetts were unwilling 
to go to war. During tlie.se negotiations between 
the two trilies Roger Williams arrixx-d ojipor- 
tunel\', and b>- his influence prevented the 
Pequods from jiersuatling the Narragansetts to 
take up arms.* 



•Annals of Frov. 



although they evidently knew how to make 
some kind of cloth. They dwelt in tents nunle 
of skins or mats stretched over poles .set in the 
earth and converging at the top. These were 
known as tepees or wigwams. They sometimes 
had more jiermanent houses constructed of bark 
and brush, and some traditi<nis represent them as 
building stone huts. The Narragan.setts were 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAW TUCK ET. 



Uk' principal coiners of wampnni, a money made 
ont of sliells, which was cnrrent anions all the 
New lvn;4land Indians and was nsed by the 
whites nntil about 1700. 

When tlie Indians were brought in contact 
with the whites they were not able to stand the 
strain of the competition. They receded into the 
forests' before the superior social organization of 
the new comers. The European settlers were 
bound together by high ethical considerations; 
rights and law were superior to piersonal or 
family ties, while at the same time the indivi- 
ilual had an independence and freedom of 
action the savage could not comprehend. On 
the other hand, the red man was bound to his 
tribe and its s\-mbol the totem, right or wrong. 
He had no individual rights, and at the same 
lime the trilie hail but little essential social 
coherence. Before the strong, virile community 
of the Anglo-Saxon settlers this inferior people 
had little chance of survi\-ing, and the>- were 
doomed to vanish whether war had come or not. 

War, however, did come at various times, 
but it did not .strike Providence until 1673, when 
I'liibi), the son of Massasoit, after long brooding 
over what he conceived to be the wrongs of his 
people, entered upon a contest which resulted in 
a speedier dispossession of the red men tlian 
would otherwise have taken ])lace. During this 
war over six hundred houses were burned, some 
of the settlements were completelv de.stro\'ed 
and many others partially. Among the latter was 
Providence In the end the Indians were 
thoroughly subilueil and practically wiped out. 
The Narragansetts as a nation had ceased to be, 
as a result of the great Swamp Fight, December, 
1675. The defeat of King Philip the next 
year gave peace to the land, and e.stablished the 
supremacy of the English coloni.sts. 

The Indians had been goaded to resistance 
l)y the gradual ap])ropriatiou of their land and 



their inabilit\- to cojie with the white men in 
trade and bargaining. The Providence and 
other Rhode Island colonists were not aggres- 
sors in the.se respects to as great an extent as 
their neighbors. None of the Indian wars origi- 
nated in their borders, but ue\ertheless their 
settlements were de\-astated, although to a less 
extent than adjoining colonies. The regard in 
which the Indians held Roger Williams was a 
tower of strength and a means of defence for the 
])eople of I'rovidence. 

vSome of the ]irinciple e\-ents of King 
Philip's war occmred in the extensive territory 
of Rehoboth. Here the first Engli.sh blood was 
shed. When Philip with a few followers was 
fleeing from the junsuing warriors of Massachu- 
setts ami Plymouth in July, i67,s, he and his 
piarty were pursued across Seekonk plain liy the 
Rehoboth men and a few friendly Indians, 
headed by the Rev. Noah Newman, and some 
of Philip's Indians were killed without any loss 
to the settlers or their allies. " Pierce's Fight," 
the most disastrous engagement of the war on 
the part of the colonists, occurretl March 26, 
1676, on the east side of the ri\-er, within or 
near the present limits of Pawtucket. Captain 
Michael Pierce of Scituate, Mass., with sixt\- 
three Ivnglishmeu and twent\- Indians from 
Cape Cod, in pursuing a botly of Indians were 
led into an andmscade, and over fifty English- 
men and more than half of the friendly Indians 
were slain, while the opposing force is supposed 
to luu-e lost nearl\- three times that nundier. 
The location of this fi,ght is not definitel\- 
known, l)Ut tradition places it near the mouth 
of the Abbott Run, not far from \'alley Falls. 
Two days after this event tlie Indians burned 
the settlement of Rehoboth.* 

^-History of Rrli.ilioUi. pp. 7'J, IKi. 



CHAl'TKR II. 



THK ACOriSITIOX OI' Till-; I.AXli 



founding: of Providence l)v 




COLLYER MONUMENT. 



^^B ^o/ Roger Williams is 

^^V "" many respects the most 

^f interesting and nnicjue 

^J^^ occurrence in the history 

of the establishing of 
English colonies in the 
New World. As the 
stor>- has lieen told, it 
combines some of the 
features of the old Greek 
tales of adventure with 
the strange spectacle of 
an experiment in civil 
government on substantially new lines. With 
this realized epic of modern times the com- 
munity on the Blackstone at Pawtucket and 
Central P'alls has an abiding and vital con- 
nection, as it is one of the principal descend- 
ants of that first settlement which carried out 
to success the "lively experiment" inaug- 
urated so well by Roger Williams and his 
associates. Pride in an honorable ancestry of 
good blood, clean lives and noble actions, is 
justifiable and praiseworthx', and is an incentive 
to proper ambitions. In a similar way a com- 
munity may be proud of its origin. The people 
of Pawtucket and Central Falls, in common 
with those of sister connnunities, can look back 
to the first settlement, and in considering its 



story recei\-e an inspiration that may culminate 
in the growth and development of their own 
social organism along the be.st lines. 

In the year 1631, Roger Williams, a young 
luiglish clergyman, arri\-ed in the Massachusetts 
I>ay Colony, and settled in the town of Salem, 
where he became assistant pastor of the church. 
The ]ilace of his birth, whether in P^ngland or 
Wales, the details of his early life, where he 
was educated, and various other points of his 
history, have been subjects of controvers}-. It 
is, however, certain that he had received a 
universit}- education, and was ])robably a gradu- 
ate of Cambridge. He had influential friends 
and family connections, and without douljt was 
possessed of some ])roi)erty. At the time of his 
arri\-al in Boston he was Ijetween 25 and j^o 
years of age. After his college course he 
became a minister of the church of England, 
but changes in his views and objections to the 
methods in vogue, induced him to become a 
dissenter, and as a consequence to emigrate to 
Xevv England, where he thought he would 
find room for his new opinions. He, however, 
soon discovered that pronounced opinions created 
trouble for their possessor in America as in 
Eur()])e, and becau.se of differences thereby 
engendered he onl\- staved some months at 
•Salem. He then went to PIxiuoulh, where he 
was a pastor for two years. 



24 



ILTvIK'^TRATED HISTORY OF PAWTlCKET. 



Ill Uk- lull (il I ''34 he rcliiriitil to his first 
charge in Salem. By that time he had become 
a marked man. The colonial officials at Boston 
considered that he ])reached "new and danger- 
ons opinions against the anth(.)rit>- of the magis- 
trates," and tlie\- kept close watch o\er him. 
The ruling elders of the Massachu.setts Bay 
theocracy evidently considered him a dangerous 
man, for his doctrine was substantially that the 
State had no right to coerce in matters of thought 
and religion, and should iwt interfere with 
actions that did not contravene the equal liberty 
of all. He also enunciated the opinion, both at 
Plymouth and Salem, that only from the Indians 
could a valid title to the land be obtained. As 
a result of the continued advocacy of these and 
other views, which were directly opposed to the 
policy of the rulers of the Massachusetts colony, 
a bitter antagonism to him was engendered, 
which culminated in a sentence of banishment 
October 9, 1635. To avoid forcible deportation 
in a vessel about to sail for England, he fled 
in Jaiiuar\', 163C1, to the wilderness, where he 
wandered and lodged with the Indians for four- 
teen weeks. 

About the first of May, 1636, he was joined 
l)y William Harris, John Smith, Joshua Verin, 
Thomas Angell and Francis Wickes, and a 
settlement was begun on the east bank of the 
Seekonk river, within the present limits of I{ast 
Providence and but a .short di.stance beyond the 
existing eastern boundary of Pawtucket. The 
land was obtained as a grant from the sachem 
of the W'ampanoags, Massasoit, whose home 
was on Narragansett Bay at .Sowams, where the 
town oi Warren now is. The pioneers had not 
fini.shed building .shelters, clearing the ground 
and planting a crop, when Roger Williams 
received a letter from his friend, Governor WMns- 
low of Plymouth, notifying him that the new 
settlement was within the ' ' bounds ' ' of that 



coloin-, and suggesting a removal for ])rndential 
reasons to some location beyond its juri.sdiction. 

At once it was decided to seek a place far 
enough awa>- in the wilderness to be outsiile the 
territorial limits of either Puritan or Pilgrim, 
luirlx' in June, I-ioger Williams and his five asso- 
ciates embarked in a canoe, paddled down the 
Seekonk, through the present Providence har- 
bor and up the Providence river until they 
reached the mouth of the Mosshassuck ri\-er, 
where, on the northeast shore of the cove formed 
by the union of the two "clear" rivers with 
tide water, they picked out a sjiot close b\' a 
running spring, for a settlement. Believing, 
with the deep religious faith that was so conspic- 
uous an element of his character, that he had 
been divinel>' directed in making this selection, 
Roger Williams named the place " Providence." 

The settlement at Providence has been usu- 
ally spoken of as the result of a hap-hazard selec- 
tion forced upon Roger \A'iniams and his associates 
by the necessit>" of Iea\'ing their first location at 
Seekonk. The legendar\- story about the \-oyage 
down the one ri\-er and tip the other in quest of 
a home, and of the greeting by the Indians at 
What Cheer Rock is partly responsible for this 
impression. Yet no circumstances in the whole 
career of Roger Williams more clearly .show his 
atlmirable foresight, and excellent management, 
than those connected with the jnirchase of the 
land of Providence. While he was )et the min- 
ister of the church at Plymouth he began nego- 
tiations for the purchase of the territory and 
completed the bargain during the first part of 
the second period of his ministry at Salem.* 
During his residence at Plymouth he learned the 
Indian language, formed friend.ships with the 
chiefs, and without iloubt in their company 
explored the territor}- which subsequently be- 

*See Williams's letter to town of Providence, 
Dec, 6. 1601, Annals of Prov., pp. 30-3:2. 



Till': IT RC HA SIC OF P R ()\' I I) !•: NC K P I, A X TA T I ( ) X S. 



25 



caniL- PnnidL-ncL'. This action on his part 
proves that the project of forming an independ- 
ent settlement had for years been in his mind, 
and that he \er\- earl\- in Iiis life in Xew lui^land 
began to shape his plans with that end in view. 

His object in busing land in the wilderness 
was, in his own words, to provide " a shelter for 
persons distressed for conscience," and he 
informed his immediate friends of his purchase 
and its object. The fact that his intentions were 
known and that previous arrangements had been 
made to found a settlement, is proved b\- the 
rende7.\-ous at vSeekonk, and the increase in the 
number of the pioneers as soon as a definite 
location was secured at Providence. Every- 
thing evidently had l)een plaiuied. 

Roger Williams bought, 
probabl>' in 1635, by a ver- 
bal bargain from Canonicus 
and Miantonomi, the two 
chief sachems of the Xarra- 
gansetts, the land that at 
present forms the territory of 
the city of Providence, por- 
tions of the towns of Cranston 
and Johnston, Central Falls 
and the west portion of Paw- 
tucket. This purchase was 
confirmed b>' a deed signed 
b\' the two chiefs, March 24, 
1637. which also more exacth 
defined the limits of the terri- 
tory than the verbal agree- 
ment probal)h' had. The 
' ' bounds of those lands ' ' as 
then given are still easily dis- 
cernible as they were and are well known 
natural landmarks. They were, in the Ian 
guage of the deed itself, "from the river and 
fields of Pawtucket. the great hill of Xeotacon- 
konit on the northwest and the town of 



Mashapauge on the west," and including the 
"lands and meadows upon the two fresh water 
rivers called Mooshashausic and Wana.squa- 
tucket," l\ing between these limits. A territor\- 
with quite definite outlines to the north and 
south was thus granted, but to the westward it 
was not bounded. 

The appendix to the deed itself, known as 
the confirmation from Miantonomi, was of the 
nature of a definition of the territory westward, 
in that it granted the use of the land uji both 
the streams of Pawtuxet and Pawtucket for the 
feeding of cattle. Practically this addition to 
the deed made the limit of the X'arragansett 
purchase, or Providence Plantations as the land 
was now called, from the Pawtuxet to the Paw- 




SLATER'b FIRST RESIDENCE AS IT NOW APPEARS AT 69 NORTH MAIN ST. 



tucket rivers, and extending westward and 
northward indefinilel\ . The ]iortion nearer to 
the .settlement and which was within the definite 
limits of the original deed, seems to have been 
regarded as their estates in fee simjjle b_\- the 



26 



1 1, LUST rati: I) HISTORY np pawtuckkt. 



seltlers, liiil in the (uUhiiii; rei^ions 1)L-t\vcen 
and aloni; Ihc rivers they at first evidently had 
(inly a rii;ht ol iiasturage. Suhst-iiuenlly, as the 
settlement increased, these sections were grad- 
ually ac(|nired hy treaties with the Indian 
sachems and h>- direct pa>-ments or gratuities 
to Indian occujjiers. 

A \ery interesting fact in connection with 
this original deed — the foundation of all land 
titles in Providence and its offshoots — is that the 
last part as entered on the tnwn records is not 
found in the document itself, which is still in 
exi.stence in a mutilated condition. The claim 
has been made, and on what seems to Ije the 
best of evidence, that this sentence was a forg- 
ery,* inserted by some of the Pawtuxet pur- 
chasers. Judge Staples in his " Annals of Provi- 
dence" called attention to the fact that this 
sentence which grants the "land from those 
ri\-ers reaching to Pawtuxet river, as also the 
grass and meadows upon Pawtuxet river, ' ' is 
inconsistent with the other portions of the 
deed. Without this sentence, the deed is com- 
plete, and gives jurisdiction between the two 
large rivers, absolute possession of the land and 
meadows on the two smaller rivers in the 
inmiediate vicinity of the settlement, and a 
connnon right of pasturage up the two large 
rivers. The portion claimed to be a forgery 
purports to be an absolute title to the territorx- 
on the Pawtuxet ri\'er, and certainh- would not 
require such an amendment as the confirmation 
of Miantonomi which only granted the u.se of 
the land along the ri\-er. 

Tl is not surprising that this first deed should 
be vague in some particulars. The wonder is 
that it is as definite as it is. The fact is clear, 
that as a result of his negotiations with the 
Indian chiefs, Roger Williams secured the title 

''Book Notes, Nov. 20, 1895. 



to the territory thus tlefined, with undefined 
rights extending westward and northward, and 
embracing a large portinn ol what subsecpientl\- 
became the northern hall of the ])resent State of 
Rhode I.sland. He con\-e>ed, October .s, 163S, 
for the sum of /,30, to twelve associates, equal 
rights in the territor\' with himself, with the 
power to add others "as the major part of us 
shall admit unto the same fellowship of \ote." 
These thirteen original proprietors* of Pro\'i- 
dence Plantations were Roger W illiams, Stukely 
Weslcott, William Arntjld, Thomas James, 
Rol.)ert Cole, John Greene, John Tlimckmorton, 
William Harris, William Carpenter, Thomas 
Olney, Francis Weston, Richard Waterman 
and Hzekiel Holliman. 

On the same date " the meadow ground at 
Pawtuxet liounding U])<in the fresh river n])on 
l.xith sides," was made into a separate estate 
with the thirteen original jirojirietors as joint 
and ecpial owners, for which Roger Williams 
was to recei\-e /,20, each of the thirteen to 
pay an equal share of this anuiunt. This 
transaction constituted the so called Pawtuxet 
l)urchase, as distinguished from the Xarragan- 
sett or "Grand Purchase" of Providence. In 
this purchase the subsequent proprietors of 
Providence had no share, but the owners of Paw- 
tuxet — the original thirteen — were a separate 
land corporation in effect. The effort in subse- 
(|uent \ears to define the line between this ])ri- 
vate estate and the general estate of the town 
occasioned much trouble, gave rise to bitter dis- 
putes, caused lawsuits, resulted at one time in 
an appeal to Massachusetts by some of the Paw- 
tuxet people and foreboded dismemlierment of 
the colonv.t 



*See Original Deed, Initial Deed and Confirma- 
tion Deed, Staples' Annals, pai;es 'Jfi, liS, 11(1, and I'rov. 
Town Records, vol. :>, ]>. IMi ; vol. 5, ji. I'lili. 

tAnnal of Providence, p. .581. 



CIIARACTI'R OF ROGKR WILLIAMS. 



Deeds were iibtuiiiL-il ill 1659 and iCidn from 
Uie Indian saclieins, snccessurs iil Canunicus 
ami Miantiinoini, connnnins; the nriginal i;raiits, 
and .giving jurisdiction for "twenty full miles* 
beginning to measure from a hill called I'ox's 
Hill, n])on a straight line running up into the 
country between I'awtucket and Pawtuxet 
ri\ers," with the understanding that the Indians 
li\ing on these lands were not to l>e forciblyt 
reiiio\ed, but that although such Iiiilians had 
no right to sell the land, it would " be lawful for 
them to receive some recompense for their remov- 
ing off " from the " Englishiiren of Providence 
or Pawtuxet." 

These deeds embodied the first precise 
definition of the western boundaryt of Provi- 
dence Plantations. It was voted at a town 
meeting, April 27, 1660, to run the line between 
the private estate of the Pawtuxet jinrchaser 
and the town jjurchase for twent\' miles we.st- 
ward from I-'ox Hill, but it was years liefore 
this line was run, and meanwhile a so-called-i 
se\en mile line (from Fox's Hill) was run, and 
from its terminus a line was run north into 
the Pawtucket river and south into the Paw- 



•Dccd of Caujaniquaiiiite, Prov. Town Rec, vol. .t, 



tDtcil of Caussuckiiuausli and NL-nekelah, Prov. 
Town Rec, vol. 5, p. 'MO; also deed of Scultape and 
Quequaganewett, Prov. Town Rec, vol. 0, p. iiOo. 

J.\ccordin,a; to the Providence Town Records, vol. 
'J, p. 7"J, a settlenicnl of the controversy about land 
was attempted, at a quarter court, April "27, Hi"):!, by the 
application of "an instrument or soveraign plaster," 
which was simply a statement declaring against the 
division of the land for twenty miles westward to the 
Pawtuxet men. This document sets forth that the town 
limits were defined in the " town evidence," as, the 
first deed was called, and that soon after the settle- 
ment the "bounds" were "set" by Chad Browne, 
Hugh Bewit, Gregory Dexter and Will Wickenden, 
and were known to be the " the river and fields of Pa- 
tuckit, Sugar Loafe Hill, Bewit's Brow, Observation 
Rock, Absolute Swampe, Oxfoord and Hipses Rock." 

SProv. Town Rec. vol., li, p. 129. 



tuxet, and these were declared to be "the 
bounds of the town of Providence for the first 
division." The territory beyond this western 
boundary was to be subse(|uently disposed of 
as the town should see fit, title to it having been 
secured by the Indian deeds already drawn up. 
In these negotiations about land Roger 
Williams was the man of all others who could 
manage the Indians. On the otlier hand, he was 
constantlx- contending for fair dealing with the 




iiiMiniiiii^^ 




OLD CHIMNEY HOUSE OWNED BY PRESERVED ARNOLD. 
NEAR SAYLESVILLE. 



natives, restraining the aggressions of his a.sso- 
ciates, and pacifying their differences. He was 
not only a bold, broad and liberal thinker, as his 
enunciation of the doctrine of "soul libert> " or 
freedom of conscience demonstrated, but he was 
also a remarkably cajiable man of affairs, else 
he ne\er coukl ha\e succeeded in building up a 
peaceful community with freedom of opinion in 



28 



ILLUSTRATKl) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



j)ractic;il operation and church and stale thor- 
oughly distinct. This task appears all the 
greater, when the religious bitterness and con- 
tention ol the period is considered, and when the 
antagonism of the neighboring colonies, as well 
as the strongly marked indi\-idiialism of many 
of his associates, is taken into account. Although 
his writings and the story of his relations with 
his contemporaries show that he had an impetu- 
osity of expression, an impulsiveness in the 
utterance of his views, yet he had great wisdom 
and power of conciliation, as was clearly and 
grandlx- demonstrated by his management of the 
.settlement at Providence, his diplomacy, based 
on just dealing in treating with the Indians, and 
his public .sen-ices in England in securing the 
first charter, and in, time and again, averting 
Indian outbreaks. In fact Roger Williams was 
the greatest man of the Engli.sh colonists, in 
breadth of view, administrative ability and 
actual achievement. His personality looms up 
more conspicuously the longer the epoch is 
studied, and the influence of his teaching and 
of his work are more far reaching than that of 
an\' of his contemporaries. He had a great 
influence with the Indians, and the first deeds 
as well as all the successive ones were obtained 
through his exertions. Yet he did not retain 
any larger individual estate than an>- of his 
associates ; he made no selfish use of his oppor- 
tunities, but devoted his great talents, to the 
upbuilding of the community ; and although 
one of the proprietors of the Pawtuxet private 
estate, he resisted the claims of the other owners 
and upheld tho.se of the town. 

A large jiortion of the land now occupied by 
the city of Central I'"alls and the west side of 
the city of Pawtucket was without doubt included 
in the original purcha.se of the territory of Provi- 
dence. The expressimi in the deed itself is 
" the river and fields at Pawtucket," but 



whether this phraseology referred to the falls and 
their immediate neighborhood, or included the 
region bounded north and east by the ri\er and 
the Valley Falls pond, is a question that cannot 
now be definitely settled. One thing at lea.st 
is certain, that the southern part of this section 
was within the domain of Providence Plantations 
and that the neighborhood known as Pawtucket, 
was originally the northern limit of the colony : 
although in a few j-ears after the settlement the 
Ixninilary was placed eight miles u]) the river. 

Ten years after Providence had l)een 
founded, Ma.ssasoit claimed the land lying 
between Pawtucket and " Loquasquscit." This 
territory is probably now included in Pawtucket 
and Central Falls, and in the jiresent town of 
Lincoln, as it was described as "upland from 
the water, most of it barren and rock>- without 
meadow." Although the coloni.sts considered 
that they had a right of pa.sturage on this land, 
and that Massasoit's claim was doubtful, as the 
settlers' deeds were from the Narragansett chief- 
tains to whom he owed allegiance, yet, following 
the jieaceful ])lan ahva\'s pursued b\- Roger 
Williams, they offered Massasoit a jirice for the 
land, and in their opinion effected a legal and 
honorable sale although the sachem did not 
conclude the transaction. 

The title to the land of Pawtucket on the 
west and of Central Falls, thus comes from the 
first deed of the Indian sachems to Roger 
Williams ; and as a secondary title, the nego- 
tiation* with Massasoit by Roger Williams, 
Gregory Dexter, Robert Williams and Thomas 
Olney, is important, as showing that the found- 
ers of the first community desired ecpiity and 
fair dealing in all their transactions. I!\- these 
honorable methods was this part of the territory- 
secured. 



♦Chapter 1, p. 18; also .Annals of I'rovidence, 



p. 'M(i. 



SETTLEMENT OF REHOBOTH. 



29 



The stor\- of the- acciuisilion of land and tlie 
first settlements on the east side of the river 
likewise shows the pluck and endurance of the 
pioneer English settlers. Roger Williams, as 
already related, first began his settlement in See- 
konk, as the Indians called that section of the 
country lying on the eastern shore of the Paw- 
tucket or vSeekoiik* river. Tie had obtained a 
verbal grant of the land from Massasoit, but 
when he learned from Gover- 
nor Winslow that the place 
was within the l)ounds of 
Plymouth, he proljably gave 
up all claim to the territorx'. 
About five years afterward, 
in 1641, Edward Winslow and 
John Brown, two of the jirin- 
cipal men of Plymouth, jnir- 
chasecl on behalf of that col- 
on\" from Massasoit a tract of 
land eight miles square,! em- 
bracing the territory now 
included in the towns of ICast 
Providence, R. I., vSeekonk 
and Rehoboth, Mass., por- 
tions of Barrington and 
Warren, and the east side ol 
Pawtucket.t The price paid 
was ten fathoms of wampum, 
worth at the time £2 \os. in 
English mone\', and in addi- 
tion the chief was presented with a coat. This 
transaction was carried on at Pmxidence in the 



*Tlie name Seekonk is said to mean in tlie Indian 
lanjiuajje black goose, and is supposed to have been 
applied to this region and the river from tlie fact that 
the neighborhood was a favorite resort for these wilil 
fowls. 



house of Roger Williams, who acted as inter- 
preter in the negotiations.* 

Winslow and Brown, at the direction of the 
Plymouth colon\- acted in this purchase as agents 
for a company of people then living at Weymouth 
and Hingham in the Massachusetts Bay colony, 
who migrated to this ])lace in the sjiring nl 1^144. 
The leader, or at least the man of most dislinc- 
lion among them was a minister, the Rew 




JOSHUA FISHER'S RESIDENCE, NOW LOCATED AT 39 SCHOOL ST. 



tit 



really about ten miles sipiare. 



tyuit Claim Deeil from King I'liili]), History of 
Rehoboth. p. 1)4. 



Samuel Xewman, a man of ability, character 
and learning, who comiiiled the first complete 
concordance of the Bible, which was published 
at Cambridge, England, in 1662. In effect, this 
exodus was the migration of a church, or a body 
of people who were agreed as to " rule and doc- 
trine," and unlike their neighbors across the 



♦Note I'". Newman's Oration, " Rehoboth in tin 
the I'ast;" also History of Rehoboth, p. --"J. 



30 



ILLUSTRATIU) HISTORY OF PAW TUCKET. 



rixxT at I'lox-ideiice, were not prepared to receive 
an\- unclassified lieretic into tlieir borders. Vet 
tlie\- were not intolerant. The only instance, 
that of Obadiah I'.rown, where one of the towns- 
men suffered for his religious opinions, did not 
occur in Rehoboth but in P.oston, ami although 
some of the people of Rehoboth have been 
charged with in.stigating this persecution, yet 
the record of the minister and the church is free 
from this stain. ' 

Although at first thc\- were all memljers of 
one church, the settlers organized a civil gov- 
ernment similar to the other Rngli.sh towns in 
the wilderness. It was a denii)crac\', but it was 
also a theocracy, t as "the church iiisfnu /cd the 
town, and the town jirovided for the church : 
and for more than a century following seemetl to 
pro\-ide for the church as a part of itself." 

The .settlement was located at tlie south end 
of the level open land, then and now known as 
the Seekonk plain. The houses were arranged in 
a semi-circle, t facing the ri\-er, with the church 
in the centre, and the ])lace was nameil liy Mr. 
Newman, Rehoboth, from the fact that it was 
surrounded by broad spaces, and because as he 
also piously expressed it ' ' the Lord has opened a 
way for us."S From its form, the original settle- 
ment was in after years called " The Ring of the 
Town." 

The actual settlement was not made until 
1644, when at least thirty men with their fam- 
ilies located here, and were followed soon after 
by others until about sixty families had taken 
up their abode. Although the territory had 
been granted to the Rehoboth settlers by the 
Plymouth colony, yet the new settlement seem.s 
to have been entireh- independent at first ; but 

*Newman's Oration, pp. 2.'), 20. 

tNewman's Oration, p. Ki. 

JNewman's Ora., p. Ki ; Hist, of RelKiliotU, p. o(i. 

§Genesi.s, xxiv : 22. 



in 1645, by decision of the conunissioners of the 
United Colonies, it was definitely placed under 
the jurisdiction of Plymouth.'' The original 
settlement — the Ring of the Town — is now 
within the limits of Ivist Pro\-i(lence, near the 
present ^■i^ages of Rumfonl and Fast Provi- 
dence Centre, and is onlj- a little o\-er a mile 
from the southern boundary of Pawtucket. 

A second purchase of land was made fnini 
the Indians, December 29, I'^.s, of a region 
called by the natives W'annanioiset, which in- 
cluded portions of the present towns of .Swansea 
and Barrington. The price jiaid was " /,'is 
.sterling, to be paid to them in various commodi- 
ties." John Brown, one of the leading towns- 
men agreed to pay this sum, and the newl\- 
acquired territory became a part of his e.statet 

King Philip, the son anil successor ot Mas- 
sasoit, signed a ([uit claim deed, dated March 
30, 1668, acknowledging that his father had 
sold this territory, eight miles square, anil " the 
hundred acres l>iug on the south sitle of the 
l)()unds of Rehc)both," and had recei\'ed pay- 
ment therefor, anil Philip for himself and his 
heirs surrendered all claims in fa\-or of the 
selectmen and inhaliitants of the town of Reho- 
both, "as they are respecti\'ely concerned and 
estated therein." 

Although they had secured such an exten- 
sive territfjrx', the people of Rehoboth somi 
disco\-ered it was not as \-aluable as at first 
imagined. The Seekonk plain was liarren 
ground, and the Indians, because it was open 
laud, had before the coming of the whites, util- 
ized it b>' their primiti\-c methods of agriculturej 
and had partly exhau.sted such fertilit\' as it 
possessed. The settlers conseqnentl)- sought 



♦History of Rehoboth, p. :U. 
tHistory .if Ri-holiotli, pp. 1 aii.l li.l 
JHistory of Woonsocket, p. 14. 



THE LIMITS OF RKHOBOTH. 



for iiiore tL-rlik- land and l)ctlei" 
j)asturage t(.)r cattle ; and to secure 
these the tinxii. «ith the consent 
of the Plymouth colony, anthor- 
izetl Captain Thomas Willetf- to 
]iurchase more land from the In- 
dians. This he succcede<l indoinj 
in ififii, Iniyint; Irom W'amsutta, 
brother of Kiui^ I'hilip and son of 
Massasoit, the territory now in- 
cluded in the towns of Attlehoro, 
Mass., Cundierland and part of 
Woonsocket, R. I., and small por- 
tions of Mansfield and Xorttm, 
Mass. Tliis was known as the 
Relioboth Xorth Purchase, and 
from 1666 was under the jurisdic- 
tion of Relioboth until the larger 
portion of it was incorporated as 
Attleboro in 1(194. 

The domain thus under the control of the 
town of Reholxith was extensive enousj,'h for a 
pro\-ince, including the ])resent towns of Relio- 
both, Seekonk, Attleboro and part of Swansea 
ill Massachusetts, and East Providence, Cum- 
berland, the east side of Pawtucket, and part of 
Ijarrington and Warren in Rhode Island. Its 
limits,! as has been well said were " from Woon- 
socket falls on the Blackstone to Dighton's 
famous rock upon the Taunton River, and in- 
cluded all the lands southward to the shores of 




*Cai)lain Willelt was the I'lrst I'',n.i;lisli mayor of 
New York, in l(i(i4-.'i, serving; two Uiins. In Hi47 lie 
succeeded Captain Miles St.aiulish as the ooniiiianilerof 
the military company at I'lymonth. He died at .Swan- 
sea, .\ngn.st 4, l(iT4, at the a.t;e of (i:i, and his remains 
are buried in Little Neck Cemetery, at the head of Bul- 
lock's Cove, East Providence. 



OLIVER STARKWEATHER'S RESIDENCE, COR. WALCOTT AND SUMMIT STREETS 

BUILT EARLY IN THE CENTURY. 



Narragansett 15ay — Pokonoket, which Ossanie- 
((uin and his sons had reserved for their homes, 
onl\- excepted." The extreme limits, however, 
were vaguely set forth in the original deeds and 
attempts to define boundaries or to stretch tlieni 
out o\-er new territory was a potent source of 
difficulty with the Indians, and was one ot the 
main causes of King Philip's war. 

Within the limits of this extensive territory 
William Blackstone wa.s the first English settler 
so far as is known." The theory has been sug- 
gested that Roger Williams made Black.stoiie's 
home his refuget and rendezvous when he fled 
to the wilderness previous to settling at vSeekonk, 
but \\'illianis's own statement, that for fourteen 
weeks he did not know wdiat ' ' bed or bread did 
mean," is directly oppo.sed to this sup])ositiou. 



tKx-r.ov 

l)ration of tin 
1>. !i:!. 



John W. Davis's adilrcss at L'.'inih cele- 
seUk-ment of Rchoboth, Del. :.!, lSil4, 



♦See chapter 1, p. 1? 

tC.ov. Davis's acldrcs 



KL-lu)lu.lh cck-hration, p. SCi. 



CHAPTER III. 



THIv I'lRST Sin'TI.KRS. 



No form o( bronze ;iiul no iiii'inorial stones 

Show me the place where lie his monlilerinj; bones 

Only a cheerful city stands, 

Buildetl by his hardened hands, 

Only ten thousand homes. 

Where every day the cheerful pla}' 

Of love and ho])e and courage comes. 

These are his nioiiunient and these alone. 

There is no form of lironze and no nienK)rial stone. 



Till'! first white man to htiikl a lionie at 
Pawtucket was J()se])li Jciiks. Jr., a 
skilled worker in iron and metals. He, 
no doubt, was induced to locate there because 
the water power was readih- awailable to drive 
his forge and saw mill antl the neighboring 
forests furnished abundant fuel. According 
to famil)' traditions he is said to have settled 
at Pawtucket in 1655, but no authentic evi- 
dence exists that he was there at such an 
early date, only nineteen years after the lie- 
ginning of the town of Providence. If he 
did come at that time he must have been so 
]i<>(ir that he was oliliged to hire land, and there 
is no hint or trace of any such transaction on his 
])art in an\- record or tradition. Indeed, at that 
])eriod it woukl ha\'e been a \-ery nnlikeh' tiling 
fin- the Tubal Cain of Southern New England, 
with the capital already in the possession of his 
father at Lytni, to have become a tenant in the 
"barbarous wilderness" of Pawtucket, which 
Roger Williams and Gregory Dexter less than 



ten years before the traditional date of Jenks's 
settlement, liad declared was jiracticalh' worth- 
less.* He might, it is true, have been a 
squatter, but his subsecpient career and his 
prudence and thrift all militate against that 
assumption. 

He was certainl\' living at Lynn in i66ot, as 
in that j'ear he was imprisoned on a charge of 
treason for speaking disre.spectfully of the new 
king, Charles II. At this time he was working 
with his father in the Lynn Iron Works, and 
according to the narrati\-e "during some free 
and easv- discussion with the other workmen or 
perhaps in a political disjuite " at the tavern, 
he said that if he had the power he would oit 
off the king's head and make a foot ball of it, 
and also declared himself in favor of treating the 
new ruler as Charles I. had been served. His 
exact words in the latter connection were ac- 

*,See purchase from Massasoit, chapter 2, p. 128. 
tAnnals of Lynn, ed. ISOf), p. L!.'>1. 



PURCHASE OF LAND BY JOSEPH JENKS, JR. 



coriliiig to the testimony: "I should rather 
that his head were as his father's than that he 
should come to England to set up jiopery there." 
He was tried in April, but alter a lengthy im- 
prisonment was finally acquitted, the court 
deciding that the words he had uttered ' ' were 
all too weak to ]iro\'e him guilty of treason." 
The first settler of Pawtucket was evidently 
neither a Cavalier or a courtier, but was un- 
mistakably a Round- 
head, even if he was 
not a rigid Puritan. 

This glimpse of 
the pioneer of Paw- 
tucket .shows him to 
have been an impul- 
sive, outspoken, hear- 
ty and aggressive 
young man, but evi- 
dently the experience 
taught him wisdom in 
the expression of his 
opinions, although he 
always continued a 
frank critic in his suVi- 
sequent life in Provi- 
dence Plantations. 

The first mention 
of Joseph Jenks, Jr., 
in the records of Prov- 
idence* is in the deed of the land he pur- 
chased at Pawtucket falls, Oct. in, 1671, from 
Abel Potter, whose wife, Rachel, had inherited 
it from her grandfather, Ezekiel Holliman, one 
of the original thirteen proprietors of Provi- 
dence. This lot contained 60 acres, and had 
undoubtedly been awarded to Mr. Holliman 
as his share of one of the successive divisions or 
allotments of land by the Proviilence proprietors. 

•Prov. Town Rec. vol. 4. pp. (i-7. 



This deed* also conveyed the right of commonage 
which was of material value to Joseph Jenks, Jr., 
in subsequent years in enabling him to increase 
his estate b}- securing a share of the land when 
division was made to the proprietors. He like- 
wi.se was given liberty' to fence and plant common 
land in the near neighborhood of his purchase. t 
By these two methods, and also by purchase 
from (jther owners, his territory increased vear 




3LD QUAKER Ivitt ; 



bv \ear, and ultimateK' 1>>- such means the Jenks 
famil\- acquired jiossession of the greater jxirtiou 
of the land in the inunediate vicinitN', and the 
neighborhood become jiractically their pri\ate 
estate. 

The deed from Abel Potter refers to Joseph 
Jenks, Jr., as "an inhabitant of the town ol 



•He was allowL-d to record hi.>; deed .\pril -JT. 1li74. 
I'rov. Town Rec, vol. 4. p. J. 

tl'rov. Town Reoords, vol. 4, pj). i:!-14, n.i. 



I L LUST RATI'; I) IIISTOKV ( ) !• PAWTTCKKT. 



I'n)\-i(k-;icc." This sUUcmcnt Icmls color to the 
tratlition that hv was here before 1671. Dr. 
Benedict in his " Keiiiiniscciices of Pawtiicket,"* 
mentions an ohl document in the form ol a bond, 
wliich stated that " Joseph Jenks, Senior," was 
guaranteed the undisturbed possession of pro- 
]iert>- he had purchased from Steplien and Na- 
thaniel I'ayne of Rehoboth and tlie\- in turn 
liad jiurcliased from Mary Mowry.t widow of 
Roger Mowry, one of the original Proprietors of 
Providence. Mary Mowry sold to Stephen 
Pavue September i, 1671, the hon.se and land 
formerlv belonging to her husliand, then recenth' 
deceased, and of whose estate she had been ap- 
pointed administratrix. Con.sequently Stephen 
Pa\ue coidd not have sold any of the Mowry 
land to Josejih Jenks. Jr., until about the time 
or after his purchase from Abel Potter. Other 
evidence, however, has come to light which 
seems to prove that Jo.seph Jenks'.s first place of 
residence in the colony of Rhode Island was in 
Warwick. According to a document known to 
have been in existence among the Warwick 
records he was, on March 25, 1669, granted land 
on both sides of the Pawtuxet ri\-er on condition 
that he would build a saw mill and cut boards at 
the rate of 4 shillings and 6 pence per 100 feet. 
He was also to have the right to cut the trees 
on either side of the ri\-er for a distance of half a 
mile. This grant must have been on the south 
branch of the Pawtuxet to have been within the 
Warwick limits. He seems to have accepted 
this offer, for under date of January iS, 1670, 
his name appears on the Warwick records, as 
foreman of a jur>- to investigate the death of 
Thomas vSmith and his wife Ruth, who were 
drcnvned on the night of Jan, 16, 1670, in the 
Paw^tuxet river. Some of the familv tradi- 



♦Benedict's Rem., No. 44. Paw. Ciazette and Chr 
icle. I'el). -J, l.s.-);-). 

tl'rov. Town Records, vol. 3, p. :iU9. 



tions point to this original residence in War- 
wick. ' 

Another fact which is an almost conclnsi\e 
])roof that Josei)h Jenks, Jr.. did not settle at 
Pawtucket until aliout the time ol his purchase 
of land from xAbel Potter, is that he did not be- 
come one of the original ])roprietors. Other 
men who arri\-ed after I'l.S.S became original 
owners, and if he had been on the spot at 
tliat time, no doubt he would also ha\e been 
admitted to the select circle of the mi pro- 
prietors. 

Josej)h Jenks, Jr., whether he original]) 
settled in Warwick or at Pawtucket falls, was 
probalily invited to take up his residence among 
them by some of the leading Providence colo- 
nists. His father, Joseph Jenks, vSr., was an in- 
ventor of a high order, and the son had inher- 
ited his talents, had been trained in his workshop 
and was prepared to follow in his footsteps as a 
maker of tools and a worker in iron. The value 
of such a man was no doubt clearly percei\-ed 
by some of the men of Providence. Although 
there is no record of such an invitation, the 
rapidity with which he attained a leading- 
position in the colony, the readiness with which 
his requests for more land were acceded to. and 
the offices to which he was elected, all manifest 
the desire of his new fellow townsmen to fa\or 
him as far as possible. 

The first settler at Pawtucket was the son 
of Joseph Jenks, Sr., who was born in luigland, 
either at Hammersmith, Ilounslow or Cidn- 
bi'ook,t in the neighborhootl of the eit)- ol 
London, in the year 1602. In 164,'^ the elder 
Jenks came to Massachusetts, it is supposed 

*William Jenks, D. D., of Boston, Mass., in a let- 
ter to Alonzo Lewis, of Lynn, Mass., nnder date of Jan. 
tS, 1844, says "Joseph Jenks, Jr., of Lynn, first settled 
in Warwick and afterward removed to Pawtucket, R.I." 

tLetler of Rev. W. Jenks, Benedict's Reminis- 
cences, No. 9. 



PAWTUCKICT, MASS., IN 1848. 



35 




MAP OF THE TOWN OF P^WTUCKET, MASS. SURVEYED BY ORDER OF THE TOWN JULY, 1848. 

ORrGlNAL NOW IN THE POSSESSION OF JOHN F. M'ALEVY. 



36 



ILLU STRATI' I) HISTORY OF PAWTrCKICT. 



with John W'iiUhrup' the younger, and settled 
:it I,>nn. He is thoui^ht to liave been one of 
the workmen engaged to establish the iron 
works on the Saugus river, the first in New- 
England. At lea.st he was employed there soon 
after the beginning of the enterpri.se. He is 
said to have been "the fir.st founder who 
worked in brass and iron on the American Con- 
tinent, "t Init although this is iirobabl>- an ex- 
aggerated statement, it is no doubt true that he 
was the first highly skilled worker in metals 
who began operations in the English Colonies 
in North America. 

Three years after his arrival, on Ma>- 6, 
1646, the Massachusetts General Court granted 
him a patent for three inijxirtant inventions, — a 
water mill or wheel, a machine for making 
scvthes and (jther edged tools, and a saw mill. 
He then i)urchased the right, t Jan. 20, 1647, 
from Richard Eeader, the general manager, to 
l)nild a forge at the iron works for the manu- 
facture of scythes. Thus earl\- he became an 
independent manufacturer. In 1^55 he ob- 
tained a patent for an inipro\ed form of scythe. 
That implement as it exists at the present day 
is ])ractically in the form as impro\-etl b>' Joseph 
Jenks, vSr., and displaced the thick stub .scythe 
previously in use. These inventions were of 
prime importance to the Engli.sh settlers, as by 
their use the power of subduing the wilderness 
was rapidly increased, and the water power was 
rendered availal)le in the work. , These notable 
inventions were not the only achie\'enients of 
Joseph Jenks, .Sr. In 1652 he made the dies 
for the ])ine tree shilling coinage of Massa- 



*Jolui Wiulhrop, Jr., brought from Kngland in 
l(i4:! •■ 10(10 pounds .stock nmi ilivt-rs workiuvu lo bc'gin 
.'111 Iron work." — History of \. V.., Wintlirop, vol. 1', 
pp. ■2V2. LM4. 

t.\iiii;ds of I, villi, fil. l.sn'), p. JOS. 

JAiiiials of l.ynn. p. '2'2'2. 



chusetts ; in 1654 built a fire engine for Hnston ; 
in 1(1(17 coiiceixed a jiroject for starting a wire 
manufactory, but did not receive sufllcient en- 
couragement to go on with the undertaking ; 
and in 1672 made a proposal to coin the cohniy's 
money, which howe\-er was not accepted. That 
he was not a severe Puritan is evident from the 
fact that on Nov. 29, 1665, he was admonished 
for not attending public worshi]). 

The elder Jenks had married in ICngland, 
Init his wife died previous to his departure for 
America. He had two sons, j-oung boys, who 
were left in care of their mother's family. The 
elder is supposed to ha\-e settled in \'irginia, 
l.)ut the younger, Joseph, Jr., according to the 
instruction of his father, was to join him in 
.\nierica when he came of age. Joseiih, Jr., is 
said to have been l)orn in if\'\2, and he is 
reported to ha\e been with his father at Lynn 
in 1647, in which e\-ent he must ha\'e come to 
New England long before he arri\-e(l at man- 
hood. He probably remained at Lynn until his 
removal to I'ro\-idence Plantations, employed 
constantly in the workshoji, where he benefited 
l.)v the instruction and obtained a practical ex- 
perience in the construction and o])eration 
of the inventions of his father. He married 
very early in life. That he must have had a 
good income, either in wages from his father or 
from an interest in the forge, is evident from the 
fact that his >oung wife was able to indulge in 
the luxury of fine apparel to such an extent as 
to call forth ])ublic censure. At a quarterh- 
court held June 29, 1652, the records sa\' that 
"lister,- the wife of Joseph Jynkes, Junior," 
was presented " ffor wearing silver lace." 

Joseph Jenks, vSr., married again in Lynn 
before 1650 and by this union had five chil- 
dren, three sons and two daughters, of whom 



Annals of Lynn, td. ISri.'i, jj. •_';;:). 



WIIV JoSI'l'H JKXKS SETTI.l'.D AT I'AWTrCKHT. 



Daniel.* ihf xoun.nt-'Sl ol llic ^(iii>, Ikhii in i66,^, 
settled in Cnniberlanil or Sinithfiehl, inulcr the 
])rotection and with the assistance of lii> lirother 
Jose])h, Jr., prospered in his affairs and left 
niinierous descendants. Joseph. Sr., died in 
i6.S;,. 

The Jenks family trace their descent, tradi- 
tionall\-. from an ancient Welsh family of import- 
ance. The immediate ancestors of the American 
branch were evitlently pec.iple of enterprise and 
some substance, and better still of .splendid phy- 
sique and fibre, fit for the struggle of life in a 
new world. 

Among the reasons gi\en \\h\- Josejih, Jr., 
left his father's home in l.ynn. and sought a 
place for himself, was liecause it was thought 
that wood for charcoal to run the forge would 
soon be used up. Such an idea seems preposter- 
ous when considered from the .standpoint of the 
present day. Neighboring landowners at L>iin 
feared that the iron works would consume the 
forests, prejudices were exciteil and lawsuits 
resulted. t This diftlcult)-, howe\er. could not 
ha\e been the only or the main reason of the 
removal of the son to new fields. The fame of 
the l,\'nn Iron Works and of Jose])h Jenks's 
inventions had sjiread throughout the New Eng- 
land colonies, and the settlers in man\" places 
would readily have offered all the inducements 
in their power to have persuaded either father 
or son to settle among them and saw their tim- 
ber, with the new mill, or make the improved 
scythes and tools so essential to husbandry and 
woodcraft. That such an inducement was held 
out to Joseph. Jr., the Warwick record already 
(juoted, is good evidence. He was very likeh' 
first persuaded to come to Warwick by some of 



the proprietors of that colonw but after a short 
residence there he probal)ly had the opportunity 
of inspecting the magnificent water power at 
Pawlucket falls, which was much better adapted 
to his purposes than the Pawtuxet river could 
possibl\' be. Perhaps some of liis Warwick 
friends suggested this transfer, for the bargain, 




*Bya voteof the town of Providence, Daniel Jenks 
was allowed to apprentice himself to his brother, Jan. 
•27. 1081-2. Prov. Town Rec, vol. S, p. I(i7. 

t.\nnals of Lynn, ed. l.S(i.'), pp. !)7, L'liU. 



as the original deed shows, was consummated 
in Warwick, and the owner of the land, Abel 
Potter, was the son-in-law of John Warner, one 
of the original proprietors of Warwick. He was 
pcssessed of the land at the falls of Pawtucket, 
the very location that Joseph Jenks desired. 
Plenty of tindjer existed in the dense forests 
adjoining the river, a great amount of land in 



38 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT. 



IIr- iiei,L;lili()rli(i()(l was unclaimed,* and as an 
addiUonal incentive the spot was only four miles 
from the main settlement, with which it was 
connected by a roailway or trail through the 
fields anil woods. That these were the influ- 
ences which i)rompted Joseph Jenks's removal 
lo I'awtucket is reasonable to suppose. 

He built his forge below the falls on the 
south side of the present Main street. Here 
down among the rocks he obtained the water 
jiower he needed, the engineering operations 
having lieen performed by Nature herself, so 
liiat he had only to adjust his "engines or mills" 
to the great natural force at his disposal. He 
very likely at first built a log house, but soon 
alter beginning operations he erected a Irame 
dwelling, being enabled to do so b\- the fact that 
with his saws operated by water he could cut 
timber readily. His frame house is said to liave 
stood on tlie west side of East Avenue, t on the 
site of the Timoth\' Greene house, near the 
jiresent numbers 39 and 40 and consequently 
overlooked the forge and river. Here, with his 
family of young children, the eldest, Joseph, 
about 15 years old, he established a home in a 
clearing in the wilderness at Pawtucket falls. 

The first settler was a man of much enter- 
])rise. Not only was he active in his own busi- 
ness, but he was a public si)irited citizen. He 
must have had capital, for he evidently had 
time to attend to the affairs of the tow'u and 
colon}' without injury to his private interests. 
The indications are, judging from the records 
which have l)een preserved, that after getting 
his forge and saw mill in operation, with work- 
men trained in his father's shops at Lynn, and 



*Prov. Rec, vol. li. p. 'Jl. — .-\11 tlie land from the 
viciiiily of the prt-sent village of Ivonsilale to Fox 
Toint. which hau " not lieen hiid out " was to " rcni.-iin 
ill i-oiiinion '■ from that elate, Warch 14, 1(1(11-2. 

+]iciicdict's Remini.sceiice.s, Nos. '.i and 7. 



under his own snperx'ision, the jirofits of his 
business were sufficient to gi\e him leisure 
enough to enable him to 1)ecome a public man. 
That he had experienced and capable workmen 
in his service is tindoubted. Presumablv to one 
of these men, Jose]ih Woodward, he gave four 
acres oi land, Jtil>' 21, 1679. As a patriarch, 
he tluis lived in the forest, his de])endents ctit- 
ting the wo<id and sawing it into boards and 
timber with tlie aid of the "water mill," or 
Ijurning it into charcoal for the furnaces of the 
forge, where their fellows hammered out the 
iron and made scythes and other tools, aided in 
the heavier operations by the water power. 
The iron is said to have been bog ore, obtained 
from the connnons in the stirrounding country. 
At the time of King Phili])'s war, in i6y6, 
the lorge was burned b>' the Indians and the 
little patriarchal settlement scattered, but it was 
immediately revived as soon as the Indian out- 
lireak was iiuelled, antl industry at once resumed. 
Joseph Jenks was taxed for a saw mill in 1679,* 
and he certainly had one in o])eration in 1685. t 
He was a member of tlie town council in 1680; 
moderator of the town meeting in 1679 or 1680; 
one of the tax assessors at the same period : was 
chosen April 28, 1679, to represent Providence 
in the General Assembly at Newport : was 
speaker of tlie A.s.sembly from October, 1698, to 
February, 1699, and is referred to constantly in 
the town and colon\- records from 16.S4 to 1698, 
as "assistant," in which capacit}' he actetl as a 
justice and performed marriages. An interest- 
ing connnentary on his character and sense of 
justice is the record of April 12, 1675, which 
says tliat "Joseph Jenks with others signed a 
protest against damaging Joshua Verin's right 
to a share in the lands vet to be divided." 



•AnnaLs of Prov., p. 174. 

tProv. Town Rcc, vol. S, page ir)7 



THK "NKW FIELD" AND THE "GREAT SWAMP." 



39 




VIEW OF PAWTUCKET, LOOKING TOWARD EXCHANGE STREET BRIDGE. 



W-rin had left Pro\-i(k-nce liccause of trouble 
arising from his intc-rfL-rcncc with his wife's 
liberty of conscience ; but Jose]ih Jenks did not 
believe that he ought on that account to be 
deprived of his property. 

Previous to the settlement some of the 
meadows at Pawtucket had been cultivated, as 
early records speak of " planting fields " there. 
The "old field " may ha\-e been the area known 
(hiring the earl_\- years of this century as Timotlu- 
Greene's meadow, lying a little south of the falls 
and occupying a portion of the west side of East 
avenue and Pleasant street between the road- 
way and the river. Joseph Jenks's first inirchase 
of 60 acres very likely included this field, and his 
property was bounded on one side by the land 
of Gregory Dexter and on the other Ijy that of 
Stukeh- Wescott. Corroljorative evidence that 



this is the "old field at Pawtucket" is fnrnislied 
by a town record of February 23, 1661. which 
designated the great rock at its lower end as a 
starting point for a lanil survey. 

The "new fie hi " or the "great meadow" 
at Pawtucket was undoubtedly the comparatively 
level land in the angle between Main street, 
Lonsdale avenue, and Pawtucket avenue in 
the southwestern part of the jiresent territor\- of 
the cit\'. It was considered very desirable as a 
"planting field," was described as being in the 
"neck" between the "great swamp" and the 
Pawtucket river, and allotments in its bounds 
were sought after eagerly by the settlers.' In 
the early records reference to the ' ' great swam]> 
are frequent. Judging from the topographical 



*Prov, Town Rec, vol. !), p. Ki ; vol. :!, pp. Ifi4, 
is,s; vol. -2. pp. :>;!, :>4. 



40 



ILLUvSTRATKD HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



(k-Uiils ami tliu locations of estates* as stated in 
these old docniniL-nts the swamp was the low 
lands on hotli sides of the Moshassuck river, 
extendini; from Mineral Spring avenue in Paw- 
tucket to the North Burial Ground in Providence. 
A large portion of this territory is even now 
\erv niarshx- in character, and in early times 
nnisl have been nuich more so than at present. 
The roadbed of the railroad between Pawtucket 
and Providence crosses this old mar.sh obliquely. 

A large family grew up in the home of the 
])ioneer at Pawtucket falls. Before he left Lynn 
he had married Esther Ballard, daughter of 
William Ballard, and four sons and six daughters 
were the result of this union. The sons were 
Joseph, Nathaniel, Ebenezer and William, who 
succeeded their father in his business, and all 
took prominent positions in the town and colony. 
The daughterst were Elizabeth, Sarah, E.sther, 
Joanna, Mary and Abigail. They all married, 
and the name of their husbands were Tift, 
Bnnvn, Miller, Scott, Jenks, and Whijiple. 
The founder of Pawtucket died Jamiary 4, 1717. 

In the early records it is difficult to .separate 
the jiioneer Joseph from his eldest son Joseph, 
who became in the beginning of the eighteenth 
century the most noted and influential man in 
the colony. He was born in 1656, and was 
admitted a freeman J in !6Si when 25 years of 
age. This indicates that he had then some 
l)roperty of his own, probably an interest in the 
forge and mills. He was elected to the General 
Assembly in the early years of the century, was 
speaker from May, 1707, to October, 1708, dep- 
uty governor from 1715 to 1721, and again from 
1722 to 1727, and was governor from 1727 to 
1732. In 1706 he was appointed a member of 
the commission to adjust the northern boundary 

*Prov. Town Rec, vol. 4, p. 83. 
tlifiiedid's Reminiscences, No. 45. 
:R. I. Colonial Records, vol. ;i, p. 98. 



with Massachusetts, and rendered efficient ser- 
\'ice for a number of years in relation to this 
matter. In 1720, he was sent to Great Britain 
as agent for the colon\- to arrange the boundaries 
with Massachusetts and Connecticut. That he 
rendered good service is evident from the fact 
that the Assend)ly, October 1721, ordered his 
bill of /,3oo to be paid and gave him ^30 as a 
gratuity. To his exertions at this time the 
final .settlement of these territorial disputes the 
year of his first election as governor, were 
largely- due. When he was elected governor 
the Assembly voted ^100 to pay the expense of 
his removal to Newport. He "was of a large 
■Stature* and well proportioned ; a man of a mo.st 
grave and commanding countenance." Gov- 
ernor Jenks diedt June 15th, 1740. 

*Genealogy of Jenks family, Pawtucket Chronicle, 
Dec. \2. 10, '2(3, 1834, by Esek Esten. 

tGov. Joseph Jenks was buried in the old Jenks 
Ruryinf; Ground, which lay between High and North 
Wain street, with Read street on the north. The town 
records give its dimensions as "four rods wide and 
eight rods long." The body of the first Joseph is also 
said to have been buried here. The area was aban- 
doned as a burying ground many years ago, and the 
land gradually appropriated by the neighboring land 
owners. 

" For some cause (tOV. Jenks's body was exhumed 
June 2, 1831. Other skeletons are said to have been 
disinterred at the same time, and, after a period, were 
transported to the Mineral Spring Cemetery. From 
some strange neglect the original grave stones were 
not reset, and report says they lay around until they 
were broken in pieces." — Historical Sketch of Paw- 
tucket, Goodrich, p. 33. 

The inscription on Gov. Jenks's tombstone was as 
follows : 

" In memory of the Hon. Jo.seph Jenks, Esqr., 
late (Governor of the colony of Rhode Island, Deceased 
the l.")th day of June, A. D., 1740, in the 84th year of 
his age. He was much Honored and beloved in life and 
Ivamented in Death : He was a bright example of Virtue 
in every stage of Life : He was a Zealous Christian, a 
Wise and Prudent Governor : a kind husband : a Tender 
F'ather : a good neighbor and a I"aithful Friend ; Grave, 
Sober, Pleasant in Behavour : Beautiful in Person, with 
a Soul truly Great, Heroic and .Sweetlj' Tempered." 
—Pawtucket Chronicle, Dec. I'J, 1834. 



THI' IIorSKS OF TH,E JENKS P. K ()T II I- RS . 



41 




PAWTUCKET, LOOKING NORTH FROM THE PACIFIC BANK BUILDING. 



The other three sons, while overshadowed 
by their eldest brother, were men of more than 
ordinary force and ability. Nathaniel was 
known as Major, was famous for his strength 
and was a militia officer ; libenezer became, 
when fifty years of age, the minister of the First 
Baptist church in Providence, and officiated 
from 1 7 19 to 1726 ; William was a judge and 
an active man of affairs. The four brothers, 
either in the closing years of the seventeenth 
century or in the beginning of the eighteenth, 
each built a large dwelling house, which for 
the time were very large structures. I^ach 
house had an immense .stone chimney, and on 
the northern side the roof extended almost 
to the ground, the object being protection from 



the cold north winds. The governor's house 
stood on the land now occupied by Music Hall, 
on Main street, and was demolished in 1880, 
when that building was erected. Nathaniel's 
hou.se .stood at 210 North Main street and was 
torn down about 1S70. The original frame 
dwelling of the first Joseph is said to have been 
moved and attached to this house soon after its 
erection, and the finst settler is supposed to have 
spent his closing years in this residence. In 
the rear of ,-^23 Main street, the house of Eben- 
ezer was located, and was demolished to make 
room for the grain warehouse of N. \V. Whipple. 
William Jenks's house stood on the site of the 
Dorrance building, northwest corner of Main and 
and North Main streets, about seventv feet 



42 



ILLUSTRATI'I) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



back Ircini Main stivi.-t. and was taken tlown in 
1S14 when that strucUire was erected. These 
houses were thus all within a very short distance 
from each other, and in the most central part of 
the ]iresent cit\'. 

While Joseph Jenks, Jr., was nndouhtedh 
the first .settler at Pawtucket falls, it is not cer- 
tain that he was the first w hite man to erect a 
dwelling in what is now the limits of Pawtucket 
on the west. Thomas Instance was, as earl\- as 
1668, living on the line of the road to Pawtucket, 
in the vicinity of Woodlawn, and to the north- 
east of the Great Swamp.* He is spoken of as a 
" Welchman," and the name is variously spelled 
— E.stance, Euastance, Au,stin, Esting, and 
Esten, which last was the form finally adojited by 
the familw The variatifin, Estance Thomas, oc- 
curring in the Providence Records, t is suppo.sed 
to refer to the son of the first Tliomas, and very 
likely was in accordance with the Welsh custom 
of making the name of the father the surname of 
the son, the syllalile " ap " being sometimes used 
between the two names to signify this relation- 
ship. In this form the name would be Esten ap 
Thomas. In 1C1J4, vStephen Payne of Rehoboth 
.sold to Instance Thomas and Thomas Ivstance 
50 acres of land which he had jireviously pur- 
chased from Abel Potter, and which was a jiart 
of the e.state of John Warner and had come into 
the posse.s.sion of Potter through his wife Rachel. 
This was therefore a portion of the same Holli- 
man- Warner estate, of which Joseph Jenks pur- 
chased a ])art at the falls three years before. Dec. 
3, 1691, on account of the right to a di\ision in 
the connnon lands that inhered to this interest 
in John Warner's estate, Thomas Instance was 
allotted 25 acres,* evidently adjoining his other 
lands. Thomas E.sten, with others, took his 



" luigagement of Eleagence upon the last Mun- 
day inMay, 16S2, before Joseph Jiencks, Asist."* 
Henry E.sten, the son or grandson of the first 
listen, is said to ha\-e erected the old stone cliim- 
ney house which, until after 1^50, stood on the 
front jiart of what is now known as the Campljell 
place, 1059 Main .street. This edifice is said to 
have been erected in 16,80, and that date was 
engraved on the top of the chinuie>-.t 

Richard vScott had land as early as 1649 
near vScott's ]-)ond. Daniel Comstock, who was 
originally one of the 25-acre men, Init became a 
fully fledged freeman in 1656, was the same 
year granted land at the upper end of the Great 
Swamp. The old house at 15S Lonsdale avenue, 
overlooking the Woodlawn railroad .station, 
belonged to the Comstock family, and is located 
near or on this original land grant. Its age is 
not known, but, judging from its appearance, it 
was probably built in the last century, lulward 
Imnan, Gregory Dexter, William Reynolds, 
StukeU- Westcott, John vSmith, the miller, and 
other inhabitants of Pnn'idence, owned lanil in 
the present limits of Pawtucket anil Central 
Falls, but they probably only used it for farming 
or to pasture their cattle. Ivxentually, some of 
them built houses, among whom, undoubtedly, 
were the Scotts and the Comstocks. 

With the coming of the second generation 
into acti\-e life, the settlement at the falls became 
a considerable hamlet, with the four houses of 
the Jenks brothers as the main edifices. Around 
them clustered the less pretentious houses of 
their kindred, and also the ruder houses, perhaps 
log cal)ins, of the workmen, and already' the 
place had become a miniature industrial com- 
munity, the nucleus and prophecy of the Paw- 
tucket of tile future. 



♦Prov. Town Rec, vol.:!, pp. I'j:!, 18<J. 
tProv. Town Rec, vol. 4, p. IKil. 
*I^rov. Town Rt-c, vol. 4, p. s:i. 



*Prov. Town Rec, vol. 4, p. 55. 

tBenedict's Reminiscences, No. (!, March 4, KSilJ. 



THE i-:ast side settlers. 



43 



The story of the settlement on the east side 
of the river is neither so definite nor so compre- 
hensive as that on the west side, and the authen- 
tic data is very meagre. John Hazell, who was 
living at Seekonk before Newman and his flock 
arrived and settled Rehoboth in 1644. may have 
been the first settler on the east side of the river 
in the territory of Pawtucket. In addition to 
other land, he had 600 acres situated along the 
Pawtucket ri\'er, adjoining the town common, 
and north of the Ten Mile ri\-er, and this estate 



into the land, and to Annawamscoate, seven 
miles down the water." He sub.sequently had 
trouble with the Plymouth colony in 1642: but 
in 1649 his lands were confirmed to him. P'roni 
these records it appears that his home lot of 
12 acres was on the west of "the town green." 
Hazell was one of those solitary pioneers, 
the forerunners of the communities, who push 
fuit into the wilderness alone and take delight 
in its solitude. He was the first frontiersman, 
and his successors in this line like him invaded 




SET, FROM DIVISION ST. BRIDGE, LOOKING NORTHWARD. 



niav have overlapped into the jtresent territory 
of Pawtucket. Hazel! was living at Seekonk 
in 1642, and how long before is tmknown. He 
was present at Roger Williams's house when 
Edward Winslow and John P)r()\\n in 1641 pur- 
chased the territor\- of Relu_il)oth on l)ehalf of 
Pl\inouth from Massasoit, the sachem of the 
Wampanoags, and his deposition on the records 
of that colony is the first evidence of that tran- 
saction.* Hazell affirmed that the extent of the 
territory was "to Red Stone Hill, eight miles 



♦Plj'inouth Records, vol. 2, p. 67; History of Re- 
hoboth, p. -'2. 



the fore.st and prepared the way for the coming 
of the people. He may have been, as has l)een 
sugge.sted,* the first white settler in this section 
of country. He was a friend of Obadiah Holmes 
who was pul)Iicl\- whijijied in Boston in 1631 on 
account of his religious opinions.! Hazell, 
then a man over sixty years of age, went to Bos- 
ton to condole and sympathize with his friend, 
and with a companion, John Spur, was also 
apprehended, and both were sentenced to pay a 

*CtOv. Davis's address, 2i5l1th .\niiiversary of Reho- 
both, p. ST. 

tHistory of Rehoboth, p. L'llT. 



44 



ILLUSTKATl'.D HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



fine of 40 sliillings or lie \vlnpi)(--cl. 'riieir fines 
were paid b\' their friends, t)ut Ha/.ell died 
before he reached liis home in Rehoboth. He 
is said to lia\'e li\-ed in 15oston before lie first 
went to lieliobolli. 

Tile Rehoboth jiioneers at the " Rin;,;- of 
the Town," were oiilv three miles from the falls, 
and were witlionl doubt attracted to the neigh- 
borhood bv wilnessins; the enterprise of Joseph 
Jenks on the western Ijaiik. Stephen Pa^'iie, 
the leading man of affairs, among the Rehoboth 
peo])le, had frequent dealings, as the records 
show, with Joseph Jeuks. He purchased land 
at various times in Providence Plantations. He 
bought the estate of Roger Mowry from his 
widow, Mar\- Mowr\-, and sold part of it to 
Joseph Jenks ; from Aliel Potter he l)ought kind 
belonging to the John Warner estate, which he 
soon after sold to the Estens. In fact, ' ' Scjuire ' ' 
Payne seems to have been one of the leading- 
real estate agents of the period. He also took 
the inventory of William Blackstone's estate,* 
May 28, 1675. 

The inference to be drawn from various cir- 
cumstances are that a saw mill, and perhaps a 
grist mill, was in operation on the east side at 
the falls before the close of the seventeenth 
centur}-, but b\ whom conducted or on whose 
land is unknown. According to a decision by 
Judge Storyt in the water power cases, there 
was a dam on the east side previous to 171 8, 
extending partly across the river, and furnish- 
ing power for a saw mill. 

When the first bridge was built in 17 15, Hen- 
ry Smith I had a house ninety-two rods from the 



•History of Rehoboth, p. 8. 
tMason's Reports, vol. 4, p. :)il7 
JHistorv of Rehoboth, p. 241. 



bridge, and a new roadwa},- was laid out through 
his land and that of Joseph Buckland, Jr., and 
extended until it connected with a road ' ' that 
was formerly laid out b\- Rehoboth, which leads 
into the countr>- road b>' the great ]ilain." This 
new highway was what is now Main and Walcott 
streets, and the connecting road was Norlli and 
South Bend. Henry Smith was one of the first 
.settlers at Rehoboth, and drew allotment 54 
at the division of the (ireat IMain in if)54. 
This Henry vSmitli of 1715 was probably his son 
or grandson. In 1738 Henry .Smith sold to 
Samuel Smith fort\-eight acres on the east side 
of Pawtucket falls, "bounded on land where 
the grist mill stands." In 1747 James Bucklin 
purchased the grist mill from the vSmiths, and 
in 1776 conveyed it to his son John. These 
facts go to pro\'e that the vSmiths and Buck- 
lands, or Bucklins, as the}- were later called, 
were the landowners and probably the first .set- 
tlers near the falls on the east side, and that the^■ 
utili/.ed the water jiower for both saw and .grist 
mills at a very early period. Two old stone 
chimney houses, one of which stood on the 
northwest corner of Division and South Bend 
streets, and the other on Bucklin's brook, are 
supposed to have been the residences of tlie.se 
first families. Henry vSmith's house in 1715 
must have stood on Walcott street, somewhere in 
the neighborhood of Grove or Maynard streets. 
From the.se insignificant and obscure begin- 
nings the community slowly and gradually 
developed, and by the influx of pojnilation and 
the increase of industry a \-illage little In- little 
came into being, but much slower than its neigh- 
bor across the river. From this point onward 
the two Pawtuckets imperceptibly emerged into 
a larger life, growing slowly side by side, finall\- 
merging into the city of to-day. 



CHAPTER IV 



THE RISK OF THK IXDUSTRIAL COMMrXITV AT I'AWTrCKET FALLS. 



FOR more than a centtiry after the first 
settler built his forge, the two lianilets 
at the falls grew so slo\vl\- that they 
made no distincti\-e impression in the towns 
of which the>' formed respectively a part. 
The\- were mereh' outlying workshops on the 
river banks, important for their utilitarian value 
and of no moment as social centres. Gradu- 
all\' and imperceptibly this condition changed, 
and although they developed side b_\- side as 
independent villages their proximity forced 
them into industrial a.s,sociations with each 
other, social ties resulted, and eventually in 
the fullness of time political unity came. 

The first step in the direction of this ulti- 
mate union was the building of the bridge over 
the river at the falls in 17 13, or soon after. May 
2, 171 1,* the Rhode I.sland General As,sembly 
a])]n-opriated / 200 for the building of bridges at 
Pawtucket, Weybosset, and Pawtuxet, and 
appointed certain persons to receive voluntary- 
contributions, to help defray the expense. 
Major Joseph Jenks and Capt. Nathaniel 
Jenks were the appointees for the Pawtucket 
bridge. Through the efforts of Joseph Jenks 
the interest of Massachusetts was aroused, and 
he notified the General Assembly,! Feb. 27, 



171 1- 1 2 of the willingness of that colony to con- 
tribute towards the cost of the bridge. The 
Massachusetts General Court took action in 
regard to the matter in the .spring of 171 2, and 
again in 17 13, and decided to share the expen.se 
with Rhode Island. The cost was borne equally 
liy the two colonies, and the total amounted to 
^,223 14s. I id. Joseph Jenks probalil\' superin- 
tended the construction of the bridge, as the 
records .speak of some of his charges for the 
work ; and he was certainly the treasurer or 
accountant of the enterprise, for he presented 
the final account, and the Massachusetts legis- 
lature directed that the sum due from that 
colony be paid to him. On the Massachu.setts 
side a highwa}- connecting the bridge with the 
country road " by the great plain " was laid out 
May 28, 1 7 16. Those who had contributed to 
the cost of the bridge evidently exerci.sed some 
supervision over the payments of wages and the 
accounts rendered. A connnittee* of the sub- 
scribers directed Major Jenks and Peleg Rhotles 
not to pay more than 4 shillings a day, and also 
pointed out overcharges for labor and for food. 

The main tra\'eled way from Massachusetts 
to Proxidence, and thence onward to the Narra- 
gansett country, Connecticut and New York 



•R. I. CoL Rec, vol. 4, pp. 118-9. 
tR. I. Col. Rec, voL 4, pp. 135-0. 



*R. I. Col. Roc, vol. 4. p. 181 ; " overcharged for 

I'elc- Rhoilfs, liisdii-l, /:i iL's." 



46 



ILLUSTRATKl) HISTOKY OF PAWTUCKKT. 



was as yet in inan\- jilaces oiiI\- a ])alh, (olknviiit,^ 
the lines of llie old Indian trails, and the ri\'er 
at Pawtucket was crossed either at the wailin;; 
l)laces abo\-e oi below the falls, or, when the 
state of the water permitted, on the rocks of the 
falls themselves. In the winter and sprin;;, 
because of "the rising of the water and great 
quantity of ice coming down the river," such 
methods of crossing the stream were "difficult 
and hazardous."* These disad\'antages and the 
fact that connnnnication lietween the \-arious 
settlements was constantly increasing, prompted 
the two colonies to build the bridge, in order to 
make " traveling more easy and safe." While 
erected for these general purposes the Ijridge 
was a material ligament liinding the two sides 
of the river together, and it had a marked effect 
in promoting local intercourse. It was .situated 
a .short di.stance below the falls, south of the 
present location of the Main street bridge, which 
is. howe\-er, its lineal descendant. 

The bridge continued to be maintained at 
the joint e.xpense of the two colonies until about 
172.S, when Massachusetts neglected to appro- 
])riate mone}- for its repair. B}- 1730 it had 
become through this neglect so unsafe for tra\el 
that it was considered " a trap to endanger men's 
lives," and on Jul\- 21 of that >-ear it was demol- 
ished under the direction of Charles Church on 
behalf of Massachu.setts and William Jenks on 
behalf of Rhode Island. Steps were soon after 
taken to build another bridge, and in Octoljer, 
1 73 1, the (General A.s.sembly voted that William 
Jenks have i,'ioot to build half of it, and as 
nuich more money as would be necessary. As 
the Massachusetts people still continued dilatory 
in contributing to the expense of the bridge, 
suits at law ensued, probably brought by Wil- 
liam Jenks, and which were tried in the court of 

*Mass. Col. Rec, vol. i), pp. 27:i-4. 
tR. I. Col. Rec, vol. 4, p. 4(iL'. 



Bristol count}-, Massachusetts. The decision 
was evidently in favor of the Rhode Island ])eo- 
ple, as on Januar_\- 23, 1733, William Jenks was 
\-oted ^,'42 9s. 5d., the balance of Rhode Island's 
share of the expense of relniilding the bridge, 
while "the other account of ,{,57 i4^- .inl- 
and £\^ for time and charge in law suit," was 
not allowed.* From this it would be reasonable 
to infer that the amount of the " other account " 
had been received from Massachusetts, but wh>- 
the expense of the law suits was not allowed is 
unknown. The owners of the land in the \-ici- 
nity of the bridge on tlie Rhode Island side — 
who were the Jenks family — it ajijiears shut up 
the highway leading to the l:)ridge, and charged 
toll for cro.ssing it, with the intention, perhaps, of 
recouping the expense of the.se law suits. Job 
Tripp of North Kingstown and others, entered 
a complaint to the (rcneral Assembh- about this 
matter in Dec. 1733, and a \'ote was jiassed 
directing the coiint\' of l'ro\-idence to in()uire 
into the affair. t 

The bridge was partl\' carried away by a 
flood inthe spring of 1738, and William Jenks was 
voted ^50 to repair the colony's hall, provided 
that Massachusetts or any of her people would 
pay the other half and maintain an o]ien [free] 
way from the main road to the bridge. The 
town of Reholjoth in the year 1741 laid out a 
highway two rods wide, frcnn Pawtucket falls to 
the Attleboro line, where it united with the 
county road to Mend<:>n. This, no doubt, 
complied with the requirement just mentioned. 
In April, 1741, William Jenks was voted ,.{,30, 
which, with the £~,o pre\ioush- ordered paid to 
him, was in full pa\'ment for repairing or con- 
structing the bridge. 

From the time of the settlement of the 
boundary dispute with Massachusetts by royal 

'R. I. Col. Rec, vol. 4, p. 477. 
+R. I. Col. Rec, vol. 4, p. 490. 



FORMATION OF TIIIC TOWN OF NORTH 1' R ( ) \' I I) i: N C F . 



decree in 1746, that coIoiin would not contrilnite* 
to maintain the liritli;e, Imt, on account of its 
great usefulness for local ])uri)oses, the people on 
the east side shared the exjiense liy voluntar\- 
contributions. A lottery- was authorized in 1752 
by the Rhode Island General Assembly to re- 
coup several citizens for mone}' advanced to 
build a "bridge over the Pawtuckett river." 
The assembly voted in October 1753, that Jabez 
Bovven and Elisha Brown be ]>aid a balance of 
^653 6s. 2d. for repairing the bridge. + Some 
of the inhabitants were empow- 
erred in October, 1771, to raise 
^1500 by a lotter\- to construct 
a channel arounil the falls for 
the passage of fish, antl the sur- 
plus was to be devoted to repair- 
ing the bridge. May, 1772, the 
General Assenilih" apiiro])riated 
^,'90 to rebuild the bridge, pro- 
vided Massachusetts would 
build one of the abutments. 
The care of the bridge hereafter 
devolved almost wholly on the 
Rhode Island people. vSonie- 
times the General Assend)ly 
paid for repairs : at other times 
the town of North Providence 
footed the bills ; and occasionally part of the 
cost was paid by the voluntary subscriptions of 
the inhabitants on both sides of the river.)! 
Finally, in 1840, the vState of Rhode Island 
assumed the responsibilit_\-, and from that time 
forward maintained the bridge. 

June 13, 1765, the northern and north- 
western portion of the town of Providence was 



;iet off as a separate township by the name of 
North Providence, and included within its limits 
was the village on the west side of Pawtucket 
falls. The name desired by the inhalntanls for 
the new town was Wenscutt, but the Assembly- 
decided in favor of the geographical title. 
That peculiar fir.st-proposed name, Indian in 
origin, is .still retained by the largest \illage in 
the town, — Wanskuck — now an important manu- 
facturing suburb of the city of Providence. The 
reason for the separation of this territory from 




•Historical Sketch of Pawtucket, p. 141. 

tR. I. Col. Rec, vol. ."), p. :itM 

JR. I. Col. Rec, vol. '), p. :!77. 

SNortli Providence Centennial, p. S(i. For contin- 
uation of bridge history see chapter 11. 



BLACKSTONE RIVER, LOOKING SOUTH FROM DIVISION ST. BRIDGE. 



Providence was the dissatisfaction of the people 
in the rural sections with the spending of the 
bulk of the town money in the compact portion, 
in which matter, because of being in a minority, 
they were able to exercise no adequate control. 
The people in the compact portion, in the \-il- 
lage of Providence and vicinit)-, were merchants 
and tradesman, while those in the outlying ter- 
ritory were nearly all farmers. The latter were 
obliged to attend the town meetings at an 
expense of time and trouble they did not relish. 
The division ditl not, however, separate Irom 
Pro\-idence onlv the farming district, but set off 



48 



II.LV STRATlvI) HISTORY OF PAWTrCKI'.T. 



a portion of the populous section, and this por- 
tion was reunited to Pnnidence, June, ijOy. 
The reason for this illogical division is said to 
have been of a political character, one of the 
moves in the Ward and Hopkins controvers>-. 

One of the ]irotests against the first division 
recites the facts that thereliy the old town grist 
mill and estate of 150 acres, originally belonging 
to John Smith, the miller, who had been granted 
the land on condition of maintaining the mill in 
proper condition, would be outside Providence 
limits, and the inhabitants would have no place 
to grind their corn. The same protest also 
raised objection to including the burial ground 
in the new town, and set forth the plea that 
"forty houses, containing upward of sixty free- 
men" who lived "liy merchandise, ]>y their 
trades, and by going to sea on wages," had 
been improperly incorporated in its limits. This 
protest was signed by Mo.ses Brown, Jacob 
Whitman and Daniel Jencks, and undoubtedh- 
had great weight, as the rearrangement of the 
boundary two years later was in recognition of 
the argument then put forward.* The new town 
was sparsel)' settled, as nine j-ears after its cix-a- 
tion, in 1774, it only contained 138 families, in 
all 830 people. 

The villages at the falls have conjointl\' 
always been known as Pawtucket. This name 
applied to the comparatively compact commun- 
ity there growing up, and was so used irrespec- 
tively of political divisions. No events of strik- 
ing importance occurred in the limits of Paw- 
tucket for the first hundred years. The town 
meetings in North Providence were held at 
various places throughout the township, at iinis 
or the houses of prominent citizens. The first 
act separating the town from the parent com- 
munity directed that the town meetings be held 



«R. I. Col. Rec, vol. (i, pp. 4:!(i-438-441. 



at the dwelling houses of Thomas Olncy, near 
the present village of Wanskuck, as it was 
"near the centre and mo.st con\enient." Hy a 
vote of the Assembly, August, 1767, the town 
was allowed U> hold its meetings where\-er it 
was most convenient. Subsequently, the meet- 
ings were held at the houses of William Arwin, 
Kdward vSnnth, and at the inns of John P'oster, 
Jeremiah Sayles and others. The ta\'ern of 
Jeremiah vSayles was near the toll gate on the 
highway to Providence. The town's busine.ss 
continued to l)e carried on in this manner until 
the growth of Pawtucket made it finall\' the 
centre. 

During the revolution, the people of North 
Providence were active and patriotic. Hy a 
vote of the town meeting, June 14, 177.S. six guns 
were divided among the poor soldiers of the 
town, "one-third for the use of the militia on 
the east side of the Mo.shassuck river, and the 
other two-thirds for the use of the militia on the 
west side of said river."* This indicates that 
the majority of the iidiabitants were in the 
western end of the town. vSept. iS, 1776, the 
freemen voted to send ten men, the town's pro- 
portion of the lev\', to Newport to take the place 
of Col. Richmond's regiment which had been 
ordereil to New York. A bounty of /Ji was 
offered to each soldier. In Decend)er, seven 
more men were required and a bount>' of ,/,20 
was offered. Of the quota of 1000 men called 
for by the state in 1777, North Pro\-idence was 
only required to furnish fifteen. Notwithstand- 
ing her scanty population, however, the town, 
liesides a regular militia company, maintained an 
independent conqiany, the North Pn)\'idence 
Rangers, chartered in 1774. A nund)er of her 
citizens, in addition to the quotas required at dif- 
ferent times, seiwed in the Continental armies anil 

*First volume manuscript records. North I'rov. 



NORTH pKovinnxcF. IX thp: rkvolttiox 



49 




lEWS ON THE BLACKSTONE RIVER. 



two of her sons bore coiispiciions parts in the 
revohitioiiary struggle. 

Commodore Esek Hopkins, tlie first admiral 
of the Continental navy, was a resident of the 
town both before and after the revolution, ami 
after a long and honored life died there on his 
estate, Feb. 26, 1802. He represented the town 
in the General Assembly for man>- years before, 
during and after the revolution. B}- a vote of 
April 16, 1777, Benjamin Shepard was censured 
for lieing a Tory, was deposed from office and 
Esek Hopkins, Esq., was chosen third town 
councilman in his ])lace. 

Captain vStephen Olnev, one of the most gal- 
lant of the men of '76, was a native of the town, 
and after the revolution seixed in the General 
Assembly and as president of the town council. 

The sentiments of the people of North 
Providence in regard to negro slavery were 
announced in no uncertain maimer by a resolu- 
tion passed Dec. 30, 1775, in.structing their 
deputies to support the act then pending before 
the General Assembly which declared free all 
"persons hereafter born within this colony," 
and ]iro\-ided that adult sla\'es could lie manu- 
mitted under certain conditions. The language 
used shows that the farmers and mechanics enter- 
tained as elevated ethical sentiments as their de- 



scendants two or three generations later, as the 
following extract from the town meeting book on 
this occasion shows : ' ' Utterly abhon'ing that in- 
consistency of conduct, and perfidy to our Maker, 
of which we would esteem ourselves guilt>', were 
we thro' corrupt and selfish views to assent 
voluntarily and assist in exercising that tyranny 
and despotism in the extreme over our fellow- 
men, to a\-oid which in a small degree we our- 
.selves do not hesitate to expend blood and 
treasure of thousands under the profession of a 
disinterested and sacred regard to the di\ine 
blessing of liberty." 

The pre-revolutionar\- Xorth Providence 
town records throw light on some of the social 
peculiarities of the period. The dependent 
poor, aged people without homes, and illegiti- 
mate children, were lioarded at the town's 
expense, but as cheajily as possible. In one 
instance the town paid the lying-in expenses of 
the mother of an illegitimate child and exerci.sed 
a continued oversight over the child, a girl. 
After supporting her in various families, the 
authorities allowed her to be apprenticed, until 
she was 18 years old, to Benjamin \\'hip])le, who 
agreed to feed and clothe her and teach her to 
read and write, and when her time had elapsed 
to give her two good suits of clothes, linen and 



.so 



ILI.USTR ATlvD HISTORY OF PAWTTCKI'T. 



woolen. The name of this child — Freelove 
Martin — was \'ery snL;;<esti\x-, and probably was 
a cine to her paternity as well as its method. 
The town seems to have engaged in business, as 
on Aug. 27, lyyf", Jonathan Jenks, Jr., under its 
authority, apportioned salt to the inhabitants. 
This was probably on account of the scarcity of 
that article and the ditTicult>- of picicuring it 
because of the disturbed condition of the 
country. 

At the time when North Providence was 
set off, the highways, with the exception of the 
main road to Providence, were only cart paths. 
Kach household was obliged to snpjih' the 
greater portion of its own wants ; the men culti- 
vated the land and built the dwellings, as well 
as constructed the furniture out of timber oli- 
tained in the neighborhood ; the women of each 
famil>- spun the wool or flax into yarn and 
wove it into cloth. The operations of fulling 
and finishing the homespun cloth had begun to 
be performed in shops where water power could 
be utilized, and probabl\- a fulling mill existed 
at the falls by the middle of the iSth century. 
The common trades, carpentery, ma.sonr\-, tail- 
oring and weaving were beginning to be followed 
as regular occupations, as the demand for such 
labor became ]x-rmanent and steadx'. 

The onl\- industries that as yet employed 
associated labor were tho.se concerned with the 
working of metals, of which the Jenks's forges 
and " iron works " at the falls were among the 
first examples. Assembled in their neighbor- 
hood were saw and grist mills and \-er\- likeh- 
a fulling mill and a tannery. On the opposite 
bank the same process was going on. The 
specialization of industry- had begun, but it was 
taking .shape slowly. The interests of the 
farmers and fishermen were still the only ones 
that impressed the popular cousciousne,ss, as 
these classes formed, until after the revolution, 



the bulk of the pojiulation. Commerce had 
attained some headwa\' at Providence, and had 
created a demantl for anchors, nails, tools and 
supplies of various sorts. tind)er and shi])S, 
while at the same time it had stimulated 
agriculture, which in turn .sought for implements 
from the work.shops at Pawtucket. The mer- 
chants at Providence were becoming rich. As 
a result, a demand had ai'isen for better houses, 
finer clothing and for the luxuries and elegan- 
cies of life, and a further impetus was thereby 
given to industrial specialization and de^•elop- 
ment. 

These influences were exerted upon lioth 
sections of country contiguous to the falls, and 
were slowly oj^erating to increase the industrial 
importance of the localitx'. The skilled me- 
chanics of the country side natural!}' gravitated 
here, drawn to the place by its obvious destiny 
and by the fact that here was power to run 
machinerx'. 

The centre of life for the east side people 
was the original settlement at the Ring of the 
Town in Rehoboth. Here the church was 
located, the town meetings were held, and the 
school was maintained. The taxpayers bore the 
expense of both church and school, — a vastl>' 
different arrangement than existed on the west 
side, where both religion and education were 
matters of individual concern. As the com- 
munit}' increased, the township was divided into 
school districts. A schoolmaster from Dor- 
chester was hired in I'ljj. As early as 1703, 
the teacher divideil his time between the iliffer- 
ent localities. John Lynn was schoolmaster in 
1709 and taught 21 weeks at "the Ring of the 
Town and the neighl)orhood on the east side of 
the Ring of the Town;" 14 weeks at Palmer 
River; 13 weeks at \\'atchemo<iuet Neck; and 
g weeks at "CajH. h'noch Hunt's neighborhood 
and the mile and a half." Mr. L\nn had 



RI'IHOHOTH BEFORK THK R H V O LF T I ON . 



51 



been eniplo\"ed in 1708 at a salary of /.y, but 
he was paid ,{,29 in 1709 and /^o in 17 10.* In 
the successi\-e divisions of land, made by the 
first settlers among themselves, shares were at 
first set apart to the schoolmaster, the teacher 
and the jiastor. Ivventuall)' an income was 
derived from the "school lands." In "1735 the 
town obtained permission from the Massachu- 
setts General Court to sell the several small 
pieces of school land that lay scattered in differ- 
ent parts of the town," and purchase one tract 
with the proceeds, the income of which was to 
be devoted to the support of the schools "and 



interfere with the passage of boats, and sold 
" their alwives at 2s. a thousand and their other 
fish at a reasonable rate." The cove at the 
mouth of the Ten Mile river formed a harbor for 
the first settlement. Wharves were built here 
before the close of the 17th centurj-. According 
to the testimony of Moses Brown, "stores were 
erected here, consi<lerable trade carried on, and 
the people of Providence frecjuently came over 
here to purchase their goods." John Lyon, in 
1717, built a wharf and warehouse at Daggett's 
point, suppo.sed to have been at the mouth of 
the Ten Mile river on the north side.* 




DARLINGTON. 



for no other use whatever." This income aided 
materially in maintaining tlie school there- 
after. 

The Rehoboth people, as well as their neigh- 
bors at Providence, recognized the value of the 
fishing privilege at Pawtucket falls. At a town 
meeting, November 20, 1646, " P^dward Sale, 
John Dogget, William vSabin, John Pegram, 
and William Tha_\er" were empowered to set 
up fish weirs at Pawtucket falls and at the falls 
at the mouth of the Ten Mile river, provided 
they did not prevent their countr\-men or the 
Indians from fishing at either place, did not 

♦History of Rehoboth, p. i:)3. 



Brickmaking began very early in the town. 
Nov. 25, 1663, the freemen voted that " Alexan- 
der, the Irishman, a brickmaker, .should be freeh' 
approved among us, for to make brick, and that 
he should have free libertj- to make use of the 
cla)" and wood on the commons for that pur- 
pose." Evidently Alexander either did not 
accept this offer or did not continue the indu.stry, 
as in 1668 a vote was passed offering free wood 
and clay at the half mile swamp to any brick- 
maker who would come. Another Irish brick- 
maker, Robert Beers, soon after began opera- 
tions, and he was the only man who was killed 

•History of Rehoboth, p. :!8, 132, 138. 



52 



ILLUSTR ATI*. D IT I STORY OF PAWTUCKKT. 



when the TiuUans, on March 28, 1676, durint; 
KiiiL; Philip's war. burned forty houses and 
thirty barns at the Ring of tlie Town. He 
refused to go to the garrison house with the 
oilier inhabitants, but remained in his own 
house reading the Bible, believing that no 
harm could befall him wdiile so engaged ; but 
he was shot through the window and killed, 
and his dwelling burned. 

No revolutionar\- event occurred in the 
territory of Rehoboth ; but her people were 
patriotic and self-sacrificing in the .struggle. 
Two companies of minute-men, of fift}- each, 
were raised in 1775 : saltpetre was manufactured 
at Seekonk cove : a bounty of /, 20 was paid to 
each soldier from the town who enlisted in the 
Continental army ; and fortifications were erected 
on Hog Pen point, — now known as Fort hill, 
East Providence, — overlooking Providence har- 
bor. Over one hundred Rehoboth men served 
in the Continental armies at \arious times.* 

Until after the re\-oIution, the industries at 
Pawtucket on the west side seem to have been 
largely, if not wholly, in the hands of the Jenks 
family. A probable exception was the building 
of ships and boats of light draught, begun 
about 1750 on the east side, below the present 
Division street bridge. Capt. vSte]ihen Jenks 
manufactured muskets in 1775, and sujiplied 
some of the Rhode Island troops with them. In 
March, 1777, the General Assembly purchased 
from him a " small arm " for /,i2, and a gratu- 
ity of /,'3, and presenteil the weapon to a chief 
of the Oneida Nation then visiting the State. 
With the return of peace in 1783, the industries 
of Pawtucket began to increase and become 
diversified. 

The man who was mainly instrumental in 
introducing this new life into the place was 
Oziel Wilkinson, who was a frt successor of his 

♦History of Rehoboth, pp. 59, 67, 9.5-6, 146-7. 



prototype, Joseph Jenks, Jr. He was a descend- 
ant, in the fifth generation, in both the paternal 
and maternal lines, of Lawrence Wilkinson, one 
of the first inhabitants of Providence, who was 
there at least as early as 1660, acquired a large 
landed estate, and left numerous descendants, 
among whom ha\e l)een many eminent men and 
women. Oziel Wilkinson was born Jan. ,so. 
1744. in Smithfield, R. I., and his father had a 
blacksmith shop on Mussey's brook, near the 
present village of Albion.* Here he became 
proficient as a black.smith and worker in metals 
and familiar with farm work and other forms of 
labor. Ultimately he succeeded to his father's 
business. He was of an inventive genius, and 
at his little forge in the woods turned out the 
first cokbcut nailst ever made. His excellent 
work bought him much patronage from Provi- 
dence. To cater to this growing trade he con- 
templated remo\-ing to Pawtucket falls as earl\- 
as 1775, Init the outbreak of the re\-olution 
deterred him from taking this step until the 
close of the war. Being a Quaker, he could 
not be a soldier, but as a maker of tools he 
served his country as effecti\-ely. 

Either in I7S,'^ or the following year, he 
established his shops at Pawtucket. He set uji 
an anchor forge in 1785-6, which, to distinguish 
it from one operatetl by the Jenks, was called the 
upjier anchor sliop, and was located on higher 
ground than the old Jenks forge. Here he 
made anchors for ships, and other tools and 
imjdements. In 1786, he ])urchased the machin- 
ery for making screw presses for oil works, 
paper mills and clothiers' .shops, from Israel 
Wilkinson, of I'nity F'urnace, Smithfield, now 
Manx'ille, and manufactured many of these 
screws thereafter. Besides making anchors. 



♦History of Siiiitlifield, p. 87. 

tDaviil Wilkinson's Reminiscences, p. 7.'), Histor\' 
)f North Providence. 



SOMK or THK PIOXI'; 



M I'A' II A X ICS. 



53 



nails and screw presses, he turned out all sorts 
of ship chandlery then required, manufactured 
shovels, spades, and sc>thes, operated a rolling 
and slitting mill, and turned out a good qualitx' 
of blistered .steel.* His shops were schools for 
his sons and for many young men in the neigh- 
borhood, and he thereby prepared the way for 
the introduction and gnnvlh of the cotton manu- 
facture, in which he ami his sons bore no incon- 
.spicuous part. He was interested in the 
manufacture of oil and of flour, became, in after 
years, a builder of roads, and was a main stay 
and helper of Samuel Slater, who finst intro- 
duced cotton spinning. In .short, Oziel Wilkin- 
son was a leader in and N'ivificr of the industrial 
life of the locality. 

Thomas Arnold, a Quaker of Providence, 
started a flouri' niill at Pawtucket about 1793 
and conducted it for many years. It was on 
the site now occujiied l)y the f;iclory of the 
Littlefield Maiuifacturing Co. Thomas Arnold 
also jjurchased in 179,, from Ivbenezer Jenks, a 
large area of land south of the present line of 
Green street and between Pleasant street and 
the river, but sold out soon after to Benjamin 
Arnold, Timothy Greene and Oziel Wilkinson. 

The Smith, Bucklin and Read families are 
said to have been the original white owners of the 
land in the vicinit>- of the falls on the east side. 
The Smiths seem to have been the first owners 
of the water privilege. They sold the gri.st 
mill to James Bucklin in 1747, who in turn 
bequeathed it to his son John in i 766. These first 
settlers were farmers ; but a saw jnill, as well as 
a grist mill was also operated, and the Jenks are 
said to have been at least part owners. 

The first advance from these early types of 
industry was madeb}' Hugh Kennedy, who, about 



1 7,i". purchased land from the Smiths, and leased 
a water privilege, which was jirobably the old 
saw mill j)remi.ses, from the Bucklins. Kennedy 
is supposed to ha\e been of .Scotch descent. 
He was a versatile genius, as he operated a 
lin.seed oil mill, a blacksmith shop, a wheel- 
wright .shop for the manufacture of the spinning 
wheels then in such conunon use, and in addi- 
tion conductetl a store. His linseed oil mill was 
situatetl south of the bridge on the site of what 
was so long known as the Yellow mill, and 
more recently as the Bridge mill. Next south on 
the river bank was the Bucklin grist mill. The 
siles of these old establishments are now occu- 
pied 1)\ the extensive works of D. Goff & 
Sons. Kennedy's store was across the street 
from his mill, and .stood ju.st north of the bridge. 
The residence of this early manufacturer .stood 
on the site of the Pawtucket Bank building, on 
the next lot east of the southeast corner of River 
and Main streets. Early in the present century 
it was moved up the street, near to School street." 
The next increase of the industry- on the 
east side was brought about by Ephraim Stark- 
weather, a graduate of Yale college, who, it is 
said, with the assistance of the Nightingales of 
Providence, a well known family of merchants, 
purchased. May 14, 1770, a half-interest in a 
potash factory and estate of one-half acre, and 
the whole of four acres of land adjoining it ea.st- 
ward, from Ebenezer Storer, Samuel Abbott and 
\\'iniam Bowes, merchants of Boston. t How 
long before this date the industry had been es- 
tablisheil is not known, but a man named Selli 
WhiteJ is said to have been the original manu- 
facturer of potash here. In the hands of the 
new owner it evidently prospered, and as the 
former owners do not subsequently appear to 



•Memoirs of Wilkinson Family, p. 472. 

tNorth Providence Centcnni.il. p. 'JS ; Hcncdict' 
Reminiscences, Nos. Ki and 45. 



♦Benedict's Reminiscences, Xo. 2. 
tBenedict's Reminiscences, Xo. 34. 
Jlienedict's Renuniscences, Xo. 30. 



54 



ILLUvSTRATHI) HISTORY OF PAWTT C K KT. 



have taken any part in the enterprise, it is likely 
that Ephraim Starkweather soon acquired the 
entire projierty. The potash mill lot* was on 
the river bank, and the factor}- was probably 
somewhere in the vicinity of the present Dexter 
Yarn mill. The sum paid for the half-interest 
in the factory and the four acres was ^,40 law- 
ful money. 

In 1774, Mr. vStarkweather purchased eigh- 
teen acres lying easterly of his original pur- 
chase, and including the land at the foot of 
Broadway and Walcott street, reaching In the 
river on one side, and running northeasterly to 
the Dolly .Sabin tavern. No roads, except cart 
paths to the factory and other points, then ran 
through this property, and it embraced the ter- 
ritor\' through which Cottage street now runs. 
This land was formerly owned by William Jenks, 
who purchased it from Peter Ballon and Ealles 
llallou in 1759 for ^,"100, but the tract was orig- 
inall\- part of the farm of Elijah Bucklin. In 
1779, Mr. Starkweather purchased from Eben- 
ezer Storer and William Bowes a brick house, 
which stood at the present junction of Walcott 
and Main .streets. Bowes is supposed to have 
been a Tory, who was obliged to leave Boston 
with the British troops when they evacuated the 
place under General Gage. His interest in the 
property was disposed of by William Bant, act- 
ing as agent. 

Other property in the vicinity was subse- 
sequently acquired by Ephraim vStarkweather, 
who, in addition to his manufacturing, carried 
f)n a stfU'e in his brick house, and was an 
importer of foreign goods, probably purchasing 
them through the Providence merchants. His 
son, Oliver Starkweather, who was born in 1759, 
became the leading man in Pawtucket, Mass., 
after its incorporation in 1828, and inherited his 

*Benedict's Reminiscences, No. I!4. 



father's business and estate. About the liegin- 
ning of the century he carried on the industry 
of carriage making, his specialty being light 
two-wheeled vehicles, which he sold chiefly in 
the South. He spent his winters for years in 
Charleston, vS. C, disposing of these carriages. 
The workshops where this industry was carried 
on were in the rear of the Ijrick house. 

This finst settler, his son Oliver, and liis 
grandson, James C, each served in their time on 
the council of the governor of Massachusetts. 
Ephraim represented Rehoboth both in the 
Massachusetts house and senate, and was chair- 
man of the committee of correspondence in 1773. 
Oliver represented the town of vSeekonk in the 
General Court, was the first moderator of the 
Pawtucket town meeting in 1828, and voted as 
presidential elector for John Quincy Adams. 
James C. represented Pawtucket, Mass., both as 
senator and representative, held various local 
offices, and as presidential elector voted for 
General Harri.son.* 

Both before and after the building of the 
bridge in 17 13, Pawtucket was on the nuiin road 
between the eastern colonies and those to the 
south and west, and in the succeeding half cen- 
tury some of the dwellings on both sides of the 
river were very early utilized as wayside inns. 
The first house of pulilic entertainment, of which 
an authentic record exi.sts., is the Slack tavern. 
The house, which stood at 33 Main .street, oppo- 
site the jiresent Trinity church, is said to ha\-e 
been purchased by Eliphalet Slack, in the year 
1766, from vSamuel Phillips,! father of Governor 
Phillips, of Boston, l)ut was, without douljt, en- 
larged by its new owner, and became witlely 
known by his name as a famous hostelry during 
and after the revolution. It was a long hip- 

♦Benedict's Reminiscences, Nos. 2G and 34. 

tBeneilict's Reminiscences, No. o4. May 1-, 1S.54. 



vSTREET VIF.WS IX PAWTUCKET. 



55 




I STREET, LOOKIN 
ITV SQUARE, BRO 
r AVENUE, FROM < 



' SQUARE. 
I STREETS. 

NG NORTH. 



I STREET, LOOKING WEST FROM EAST AVENUE. 

' AVENUE, LOOKING NORTH FROM JUST BELOW SOUTH UNION STREET. 

C PLACE, OPPOSITE WJLKINSON PARK. 



56 



ILI.USTRATKD HISTORY OF PAW TUCKET. 



roofed edifice, is said t<i hnvu sheltered Wash- 
ington and his officers, and I,afa\'ette also slept 
lieneatli its iiiol. The residence of S. P. Fiske 
now stands on its site. The old lionse was re- 
nio\-e(l to 90 and 96 Water street in 1S42, and is 
still in use for tenements. 

Eliphalet vSlack was born !\Ia>' 23, 174.1, 
within a mile of the ea.st side village of Paw- 
tucket. His father, Benjamin Slack, was a 
large landowner, and was a deacon in the old 
Congregational church in Attieboro. Col. 
Slack, as the ta\ern keejier was commonl\- call- 
ed, was also a large landholder. According to 
the evidence of his old account books, he carried 
on the linseed oil mill and the grist mill at the 
beginning of the present century, and evidently' 
was constantly j^ro.sperous in all his undertak- 
ings. He died June i, 1S26, without issue, 
leaving an estate of over ^^50,000, in which he 
bequeathed his wife a life interest, and at her 
death the propert}- was to be divided among his 
lirothers and sisters and their heirs, the bequests 
being carefully and explicitly stated. Some of 
the relatives received money legacies ; the towns 
of Rehoboth and Seekonk were each given 
$1,000: his ser\-ants were remembered; $2,000 
was bequeathed to the Congregational societv 
at Seekonk (this was the old Newman church), 
on condition that his "engagement to pa\' a 
certain sum annually towards the support of the 
Rev. Mr. Barney, their present pastor," be re- 
linquished ; $2,000 was also left in trust for the 
support of a Congregational minister "in that 
part of vSeekonk called Pawtucket, provided that 
a Congregational meeting-hou.se be built within 
seven years. "* This last bequest was paid over 
to the Pawtucket Congregational society, which 
built a church at the junction of Broadway and 
Walcott street in 1829, and the money was used 



many years after to purcha.se a house for the 
minister.* 

Sarah .Slack, the widow of ICli])halet, died 
in [S41 at the age of 91, and left an estate of 
about $20,000. The old Slack residence, a 
three-story brick house, built in 1S15, is still in 
existence, on the southeast corner of Main and 
School .streets. In its day it was one of the two 
finest houses in Pawtucket, is yet an elegant 
structure, and is occupied by F. Eugene Barker. 
Another old building, which was ])art of Col. 
Slack's propert\', still stands on the southwest 
corner of Broadwa\- and .Slack's Lane. This 
structure was called in the will the "new 
tavern," and was for a long periotl conducted 
by F;ii]ihalet Blake. Col. Slack, after the revo- 
lulion. also liecame the owner of the tavern on 
the west side, at what is now the northeast corner 
of .Main and Broad streets. 

Col. .Slack was eccentric. t He had a 
mania for attending auctions, — vendues, as they 
were then called, — and was in the habit of 
bu3'ing up all the relics, odds and ends, that no 
one else seemed to want. These articles he 
stored away in a room in one of his buildings. 
This was known locally as his museum, and 
contained things, new and old, which no doubt 
at the present day would be highly prized b}' 
collectors. He was, notwithstanding this fad, a 
very shrewd business man, and was frequently 
employed as a broker to purchase property. In 
this capacity he bought the mill pri\ileges be- 
longing to the Bucklins, and was a member of 
the first cotton mill company which utilized 
them by the erection of the Yellow mill in 1S05. 

Another old citizen, who was instrumental 
in de^"eloping the east side, was Samuel Pitcher, 
who is referred to in 1769 as a tavern-keeper. 



•Benedict's Reiniuisceuccs, No. 35. 



♦Historical .Sketch of Pawtucket, p. I/O. 
tBenedict's Reminiscences, No. 3G. 



EARLY SH IPRT'IT.niXG. 



57 




PAWTUCKET. LOOKING WEST. FROM THE EAST SIDE OF HAMMOND'S POND. 



In that year he purchased from I'<benezer Storer, 
Saimiel Aljbott and William Bowes all the land 
north of the old road and between it and the 
river, and bounded east and north l)y the potash 
factory lot and other land .sold by the same 
men to Ephraim Starkweather the following 
year. This property had been sold by Samuel 
vSmith, March i, 1760, to Noah Sabin, Jr., and 
Aaron Davis, and had probaljly passed from 
them successively into the hands of Seth White 
and these Boston merchants. Samuel Pitcher 
sold to Col. Slack, in 1774, his "great barn," 
which the latter then subsequently used in con- 
nection with his tavern. Whether Samuel 
Pitcher conducted the ta\-ern before Col. Slack 
pnrcha.sed the property, was associated with him, 
<ir managed another house, is not known. 

Another old inn that may have existed 
during the revolution, was the Dolly Sabin 
ta\-ern, which, in the closing years of last and 
the early years of this century, was a popular 
place of entertainment. It stood on the north- 
west corner of Cottage and North I'end streets, 
at the converging point of the roads from Taun- 
ton, Attleboro and Bo.ston. About 1795 the 
house, then a small luiilding, was jnirchased by 
Dolly and Mary Sabin from Samuel Slack, but 
it does not appear that he had conducted it as 
an inn. John Bradford is said to have been the 
innholder previous to the coming of the Sabin 



sisters. They belonged to a tavern-keeping 
famih', and it was in one of their houses, corner 
of South Main and Planet streets, Providence, 
that the attack on the Gaspee was planned in 
1772. Before his si.sters located in Pawtucket, 
William Sabin kept a tavern on the old road to 
Taunton, a little beyond Kent's mills, about 
three miles from the falls. 

The business of boat and ship building is 
said to have been begun about 1750 by Sylvester 
Bowers at the " Landing," the region at the 
foot of the present Bowers street on the east side, 
and south of the Division street bridge. This 
was the best locality in the place then and now 
for any such purpose. The extensive forests, 
known to have existed in the neighborhood at 
that period, and the proximitj- of the saw mills, 
iron works and anchor forges, all made this 
place an ideal one at that time for such shiji 
building as was then demanded. Probably 
small fishing crafts were the principal product 
at first, but it is not at all unlikely that some of 
the larger vessels then begiiniing to be used in 
the foreign trade of Providence were here con- 
structed. Sylvester Bowers came here from 
Somerset, Mass. tie acquired property, and left 
a large familv — seven sons and four daughter.s — 
some of whom intermarried with the Bucklins.* 



•Benedict's Reniiiiisceiices, No. 38. 



58 



Il.I.r STR ATl'.I) HISTORY Ol* I'AWTUCKKT. 



On the other side of the river, George 
Ri>l)ins()n built seventeen vessels,* of from 80 to 
2S0 tons Inirdcn, in tliu >-ears from 1794 to 1S03, 
and eniploNL'd Ironi ten to t\vent>- shiji car])enters. 
During the same time Thomas Arnold built 
seven or eight vessels, and other jiarties als(.) 
built ships or boats. The two \artls on the 
river banks opposite each other " were the centre 
of a considerable part of business of the place." 

As early as 1775 Solomon Smith is said to 
have erected a dam on liucklin's brook, and 
utilized the water power to polish gravestones, 
but the business was soon discoutiiuied. A 
little further down the brook, Nathaniel Bucklin 
built in 1789 what was afterwards known as the 
Wheaton dam, erected a mill and carried on the 
manulat'ture of snuff for several years. t 

A clear and vivid account of Pawtucket 
and its industries was given by Dr. Timothy 
Dwight, President of Yale college, in the second 
\olume of his travels, published in 18 10, as 
follows : 

" 111 the iK)rtliwestern corner of Relioboth there is 
a eoiiipaet anil neat settlement on the Pawtucket river. 
This, with another on the western bank, form what is 
called North Providence, although this name in strict 
propriety belongs only to the latter. This village is 
well built and wears a flourishing aspect. The river is 
a large mill stream, and just below the village becomes 
navigable for boats. Directly \inder the bridge com- 
mences a romantic fall, which, extending obliquely down 
the river, furnishes a number of excellent mill seats. 
Of this advantage the inhabitants have availed them- 
selves. There is probably no spot in New England of 
the same extent in which the same quantity or variety 
of manufacturing business is carried on. In the year 



♦North Providence Centennial, p. 31. 
tHistorical Sketch of Paw., pp. KD-IHI. 



17!M) there were here three anchor forges, one tanning 
mill, one flouring mill, one slitting mill, three snuff 
mills, one oil mill, three fulling mills, one clothiers' 
works, one cotton factory, two machines for cutting 
nails, one furnace for castiufj hollow ware, all moved 
l)v water ; one machine for cuttint; screws, moved by a 
luirse; and several forges for smiths' works." 

Tlie two \illages at Pawtucket falls ])rac- 
tically became one communit\- aliout the time of 
the revolution, slowl\' lirought to that consum- 
iiiatiim liy the gradual increase in industry and 
the mutual interests thereby engendered. The 
locality' was a converging point of man\- nuain 
roads at a time when highways were the onh- 
avenues of tra\el and transportation. This led 
to the estal)lishing, on b<ith sides rif the river, of 
a luimber of ta\'erns, which, in turn, liy the 
social life and intercourse they promoted and 
the glimjises of the outer world they afforded to 
the \'illagers, tended U> create fraternit\' and 
fellowship. Jealous)- antl antagonism of course 
were occasioned b\' the competition of the 
taverns and b>' the rivalry of some of the traders 
and manufacturers ; was heightened Ijy the 
political separation, and at times was rendered 
acrimonious b\- the wide diversity of the original 
religious status of the two colonies. Neverthe- 
less, in spite of these causes of dissension, — the 
sediment of which still renuiins in the popular 
consciousness, — the villages coalesced — ran to- 
gether into one. Men on one side of the ri\'er 
owned property and became interested in manu- 
factures on the other side, the ])eojde inter- 
married, they united in establishing churches, 
schools, cluljs and societies. Thus eventuall\' 
was evoh'etl a social ct)nsciousness, and the 
Pawtucket eunimunilN lieLian ti> l_>e. 



CHAPTER V. 



THK VIIJ^AGKS AND NRIGHBORHOOI) AT THE BEGINNING GF THE CENTITRY, 




N( )TWITHvSTANDING 
the nuniher of shops 
and mills at Pawtncket 
falls at tliL- l)L'i;inning- of the 
present century, the number 
of men employed in the whole 
of these establish- 
ments was probably 
no greater than in 
many modern fac- 
tories that are not 
ni)w - a - da\s consid- 
ered large. In 1S03 
there were only 
seventeen dwelling- 
houses ' on the 
Massachusetts side 
and about twice that 
luimber in the Rhode Island part, while Central 
Falls then had but two dwelling-houses, a 
chocolate mill, and a small shed used for manu- 
facturing. The coniniunity thus li\'ed in aljout 
fifty houses, mau\- of them known to be small, 
but in accordance with the cu.stom of the period 
large families frequently dwelt in narrow (piar- 
ters, so that the population was undoubtedly 
larger than at first might 1je inferred. Some of 
these old houses still exist and form interesting 

*Beaedict's Reminiscences, Nos. 24 and 26. 



UNIVERSALIST CHURCH 

HIGH STREET. 



reminders of the past ; and although it is impos- 
sible to determine the exact location of many of 
those that have gi\en ])lace to modern edifices, 
yet an appnjximate knowledge of their situation 
is a material lielj) in realizing the aspect and 
condition of the villages at that period. An 
account dealing with these early dwellings, and 
including glimpses of the neighborhood life, 
compiled from the narrative of an eye-witness,' 
may ])resent an instructi\-e iiicture of the times 
and people. 

Only one street — the oUl main road, now 
Main and Walcott streets — then led through the 
east side village. The lower part of Walcott 
street, from the junctiiin with Main street, was 
not then in existence, and Broadway' was not 
laitl out until about 1.S04. \'arious jirivate 
roads and lanes existed, which finally became 
accepted .streets. The majorit>- of the houses 
were assembled in a grou]) on the lower part of 
the road close to the Ijridge and falls. On the 
south side of the street leading from the bridge, 
was, first, the linseed oil mill, and next to it on 
the river bank, was the old Bucklin grist mill. 
Hugh Kennedy's low gambrel-roofeil house 
stood on the south side of the street near the 
present southeast corner of River and Main 
streets, on the site occupied by the Pawtucket 

♦Rev. Dr. David Benedict. 



OIJ) lIorSKS ON THK i; AST SIDE, 



6i 



liank hiiildiiin, hut it was reinovud up the street 
when tile ])ank builtliujj; was erected some time 
ihirinj; the first (luarter ol the century. A short 
distance further up the road from the Kennedy 
house was the farm house of John Bucklin, which 
was demolished 1)efore 1S50. 

The next Iniikliug was the house of Joshua 
Fislier on the north side of the road, an old 
gambrel-roofed structure, which was removed to 
where it still stands, 39 School street, about 1S30, 
and its original site is now occupied b\- the 
residence of Warren A. Frencli, 43 Main street. 
Early in the century. Dr. David Benedict lived 
in this house." Joshua Fisher 
also had a saddler's shop on 
the northwest corner of School 
and .Main streets. He after- 
wards built, liack of Slack's 
ta\erii, a small shop, which is 
standing at 9 and i i W'alcott 
street. Here he made saddles 
for the southern market. Im- 
iiiediatel>' ailjoining Fisher's 
house, on the present premises 
of the Stephen F. Fisk estate, 
was the Slack tavern, removed 
in 1842 to Water .street, where 
at 90 and 96, much altered and 
in two sections, it is still in use as dwelling- 
hduses. On the location now occupied by 
I{beii X. l.ittlefield's house, at the present 
junctiim of Main and Walcott streets, stood the 
brick house of Ephraim Starkweather.! 

( )n the back part of the ground where 
Trinit\- cliurch now stands, was the large barn 
belonging to the Slack tavern. The small 
house of Cyrel Peck stood on the site of the 
I,arned Pitcher mansion, now occujiied b\' the 
To Kalon Club, corner of Pitcher and Main 

*Benedict's Reminiscences. No. 2(J. 
tBenedict'.s Rfiniiiiscences, Nos. 2 and ;54. 



streets. Another house, formerl\- the j)ro])erty 
of the Peck family, and which was built early 
in the centur\-, still stands in its original loca- 
tion, 25 Pitcher street, and lias been owned by 
Charles I„eggin since 1S73. 

At the southwest corner of Walcott and 
Siimniit streets, there had ju.st been built, or it 
was erected soon after the beginning of the ceii- 
tur\-, the mansion of Oliver Starkweather, which 
is still in the poss3e.s.sion of the Starkweather 
famil)-. This edifice at that time, and for long 
after, was the finest house on the east side. 
Dr. Benedict wrote his " History of the Baptists" 




RIVER ABOVE MILL STREET BRIDGE, CENTRAL FALLS. 

ill this liouse. On the northwest corner of the 
same streets stood the old Wing house,* then 
occupied by David Bucklin, but which is suji- 
jiosed to ha\'e been built by ,Syh-aiuis Wing, 
who ]nircha.sed the land from Samuel vSmitli, 
one of the first landowners in the vicinity; it 
was remoxed to Cottage street and re]ilaced h\ 
the mansion of E. B. Pitcher, which in turn 
was remo\-ed to its present location, 144 Broad- 
wa\-, when the present elegant residence of Mr. 
L\iiian P). Goff was erected. 

The remaining houses on the east side were 



■Benedict's Reminiscences, No. 26. 



62 



ii,lt'Strati-:d hIvSTory of pawtuckkt. 



scattered mouiul at sonic distance from those 
alrcadx' mentioned. (_)n Scliool street, near 
\'ern()n, at No. 6S, stood the old Cook house, 
long since demolished. At the foot of Bowers 
street was the house of vSamuel Slack, which, 
with narrow windows and small panes, is still 
standing next to the storehouse of J. T. Cot- 
trell. Near by was the old Bowers residence. 
Accordino- to a neighborhood story that has 
survived, Mollie Bowers, the wife of S\lvester, 
was accustomed to ride a horse. Being of 
a sociable disposition she often visited her 
relatives, the Reads, and her neighbors, 
the Bucklins and Smiths, on the country 
road, now North and South Bend streets, some- 
times riding over after dark, when she is said to 
have carried asafcetida as a protection against 
wolves, with which the locality was then in- 
fested. 

On the site of the large brick .structure of 
the St. Jcseph's school, corner of Walcott and 
North Bend streets, was the Otis French house, 
which, in i8S6, was removed to an adjoining lot 
on Walcott street, some additions built on, and 
the resulting structure is now the St. Joseph's 
convent. The original house was built 1)>- 
Samuel Smith some time in the last centur\', 
and was used b^- him both as a store and dwell- 
ing. The pioneer dwelling of Samuel Smith 
was an old stone chimney house, which then 
stood on North Bend street a short distance be- 
yond the Otis French house, l)Ut was torn down 
long ago. For many years it was the home of 
Prince Kennedy or Black Prince, a negro, for- 
merly a slave of Hugh Kennedy. A little 
further along on North Bend street, corner of 
Spring, was the Abiel Read, also known as the 
Lyon house. It is still in existence, and is used 
as a dwelling and grocer}-. In the neighborhood 
of the Dolly Sabiu tavern, which stood at the 
junction of North Bend street and Central 



a\x'nue, there were, besides the inn, three other 
houses, the vSamuel Stevens hou.se, the Barack 
Bucklin house, close to the tavern, and the 
Ebenezer Bucklin liouse, off in the lots west- 
ward, through which it was reached b\- a lane 
until the opening of the Boston turnpike. The 
old tavern was removed to Lebanon, and was 
used as a mill boarding house. The other 
houses have long since gone.* 

An old stone chinniey house then stood on 
the northwest corner of South Bend and Divis- 
ion streets, and is supposed to have been the 
oldest dwelling on the east side. It is thought 
to have been the dwelling of one of the Smiths 
originally, and at this period was the homestead 
of the Oliver Bucklin farm. It was in existence 
in 1853, but was then very dilapidated, and has 
long since disappeared. On the liauksof Buck- 
lin's brook was the Nehemiah pjuckliu house, a 
large, square, substantial structure, said to have 
been a tavern at one time. It is still in being 
in its original location, on Prairie avenue, south 
of Hammond's pond, Init is in such a condition 
of decay that its days are surely nuud)ered. 
Previous to the revolution, Nehemiah Bucklin 
and his family dwelt in this house. The exten- 
sive Seekonk jilain eastward of this neighbor- 
hood, was, during the last half of the eighteenth 
centur}-, a great sheep pasture, where the flocks 
of many owners roamed, and supplied the wool 
lor the homesjiun cloth of the country-side. A 
path led across the plain, and the Bucklins ex- 
acted toll for passage, Nancy Bucklin, a daugh- 
ter of Nehemiah, who subsequently married 
Fbeuezer Jenks, being, according to tradition, 
the keeper of the gate. 

The laud along the main road to North and 
South Bend was open and cultivated to some 
extent. To the southward, where the Dnnnell 

*Beuedict's Reminiscences, Nos. 2 and 28. 



THl'; WKST SIDI': IX 1800. 



63 



jnintworks now are. was a dense forest, while 
to the northward, west of Cottage street and 
Broadway, along the river, was another forest. 
South of the main road the land belonged 
chiefly to three of the Bucklins, John and 
Nehemiah, brothers, and Oliver, of another 
branch of the family. The.se three farms ex- 
tended from the river 
to the edge of the 
Seekonk plain. The 
land to the north of 
the old road had orig- 
inallj' belonged to the 
Smiths, bnt at this 
period it was dividetl 
into farms, the prop- 
erty of Col. Slack, 
Oliver Starkweather, 
Al)ie! Read, Baruck 
and lihene/.er liuck- 
lin. and a few others. 
The west side, at 
the beginning of the 
century, was only a 
little more populous 
and compact than its 
neighljor. The vil- 
lage extended up 
Main street to about 
the present Broad 
street, down East 
avenue to about the 
now exi.sting junction 
with Pleasant street, 

and up Mill street, now North Main, to the 
\icinity of the old Slater mill. Main .street was 
the through highwa\- to Providence, ami it was 
then a very muddy and poor roadway in the 
limits of the village. Mill street was only a 
lane terminating at the cotton mill. Meeting 
street was a lane terminating at the Baptist 




IVY HALL, PA 



church. Pleasant street or Quaker lane, — the 
name then applied to the upper part of the 
])resent Kast avenue, as well as the present 
.street, — was a narrow roadway, and extended 
to a connection with the old Neck road to Provi- 
dence. 

The mills and forges of the Jenks and Wil- 
kinsons were situated 
in the area along the 
river bank, south of 
the bridge, bounded 
bj- Main street. East 
avenue and Timothy 
street, and was reach- 
ed by various lanes. 
The shops of the 
Jenkses were on the 
river bank, between 
the Blackstone and 
the w a t e r - c o u r s e 
known as Sargeant's 
trench, and obtained 
their power from the 
lower falls, while the 
Wilkinsons' estab- 
lishments were on 
the upper side of 
Sargeant's trench or 
built over it. This 
territory, almost 
wholly devoted to the 
iron industry, was 
known locallv as the 

'VTUCKfcT. 

Coal Yaul. from the 
quantities of charcoal that were stacked up to feed 
the \-arious forges. It was a labyrinth whose 
intricacies cannot now be deciphered from the 
coutem])orary accounts that survive, but its 
original character can lie inferred from the nm/.e 
of factories that luu'c exi.sted on the premises up 
to the present. 



64 



ILI.rSTRATK D HISTORV OF rAWTUCKET. 



On the south side of the bridge was a tall 
three-story frame building-, seated on the rocks 
iinniediately overlodking the falls. This had 
been occupied b\- I->ekiel Carpenter as a 
clothiers' shop, fulling mill and store, and in it 
Samuel Slater had operated his first spinning 
machines. The old forge of the first settler is 
said lo ha\e been down among the rocks alnmst 
underneath this structure. t)n the ri\er bank, 
south of the Carpenter building, was the old 
grist null. Ik-tween this mill and the forge, the 
western entl of the first l)ridge was located, and 
the great rock in the river, now part of the 
foundation of the river wall just above the new 
power .station, sei'ved as a central pier. The 
residence of Pardon Jenks was near the grist 
mill on the rocks near the ri\-er, and on its site 
a tavern had existed in early times. Beyond it 
on the river bank was the lower anchor shop 
belonging to the Jenkses.* 

Journeying up Main street, on the south 
side, the next building l)e>-ond Carpenter's 
fulling mill was the clothier .shop of Pardon and 
Jabez Jenks, on the .southeast corner of Jenks 
lane and Main street. On the southwest corner 
was a small store kejit by Tiffany & Read, 
adjoining which was the dyehonse of John 
Cummings, the hat shop of I{li Messenger, then 
came a small green shop, and next was the 
Blackington building, subse(|uently remo\ed to 
the present location of the A. T. Atherton 
machine shop, 96 Broad street. A small build- 
ing then existed on the southeast corner of 
Quaker lane and Main street, and was a loafing 
place for the \-iIlage wits and rhymsters, from 
which fact the location was long known as the 
Poet's Corner. This ga\-e place in the earh- 
years of the century to the residence of Major 
Ebenezer Tyler, a man of substance and promin- 

*Beue(licfs Reiiiinisceuces, Nos. ;i and 4. 



ence in the connnunity. Part of this old man- 
sion is still standing. 

( )n the southwest corner of Blast avenue 
anil Main street was a general store of the 
period, where groceries, "cakes and ale" and 
New England rum were sold. This building 
gave place in 1S22 to the Union block, a four- 
story structure erected by Samuel Slater, David 
W'ilkin.son and Ebenezer T\ler, which was con- 
verted in 1844 by Enoch Adams into a cotton 
mill. It was afterwards purchased by X. G. B. 
Dexter, and was finalh' demolished and replaced 
by the pre.sent Dexter building* in 1874. Since 
the fall of 1875 the postoflfice has been located 
in this building. 

Adjoining this corner grocery were the 
mansion, store and l.iarn of Nathaniel Croade. 
The hou.se stood on the site of the Wheaton 
building, and the store on the site of the Dexter 
block. The barn was built in revolutionary 
times, and had been used as a distilleryt by 
Simeon Potter, of Swansea, Mass. Next abo\'e 
Mr. Croade's premises was the house of Thomas 
Spear, the site of which is occupied by Fletcher 
row, 242 Main street. Then came the Dr. 
Humphrey house, and next, near the corner of 
Park place, where the New Idea building is, 
was the Horace Miller house. 

All the land fnnn this point, including Park 
place and west of it, and south of Main street, as 
well as Wilkinson park and Church hill, and 
extending to the edge of the Iduff overlooking 
East avenue, was a grass field belonging to 
Oziel Wilkinson. The great elm, then a prom- 
inent landmark, which continued in existence 
until late in the present century, .stood in the 
roadway at the northwest corner <>l this field, 
the present junction of Dexter, Bayley and 

♦Historical Sketch o{ Pawtiicket, p. 1.55. 
tBeuedict's Reminiscences, No. 4. 




FACTORY. 

STANDARD SEAMLESS WIRE CO. 



66 



ILLUSTRATI'D HISTORY OF PA\VTUCKI-:T. 



Main streets. Bej'Oiid this point, in tlie \icinit>- 
of the village, there were no houses on the 
south side of the old road. 

On the north side of Main street, beoinnin.t;; 
at the bridge, was the dwelling of John Pitcher, 
which had been built on the rocks of the river 
bank about 1750, by Jabez Hill, a skilled me- 
chanic. Near it was a small house occupied by 
James Hopkins. The next house was the man- 
sion of Jerathmeel Jenks, which, with its grounds, 
occupied a portion of the area now covered by 
the Miller and Spencer blocks, on the northeast 
corner of Main and North Main .streets. On the 
other corner was a two-story building used as a 
store, and in the rear, 70 feet back from the 
present line of the street, was the old stone 
chimney house erected by Juilge William Jenks. 
In 1 8 14 the house on the corner was removed up 
North Main street, the old stone chimney house 
was torn down, and on the lot David Wilkinson 
erected the present brick building, ' which, for 
man\- years was a hotel. A balcony on the 
Main street front was for a long time the ro.strum 
of the village, where political orators held forth 
at times of popular excitement, — during the 
Dorr war especially, — and from this elevatetl 
platform announcements were made, itinerant 
doctors lectured, important news was jnililished, 
fireworks were discharged, and mountebanks 
declaimed. Dexter's tailor shop and the old 
hay scales also .stood on the same projierty. 

Near by, on the northeast corner of High 
and Main .streets, was the hoiise built aliont the 
time of the revolution Iiy an Irishman named 
Toler. It was purchased about iSoo by Samuel 
Slater for a residence, was sold by him to Dr. 
Johnson Gardner, Nov. 4, 1830, but is still stand- 
ing, greatly altered, and now occnpietl for busi- 
ness purpo.ses. A tavern, built in 17S1 by I)a\id 

*Beuedict's Reminiscences, No. 40, Sept. 15, 1834. 



liallnu, stood on the northwest corner of Main and 
High streets, of which Otis Tiffan\-, previous 
to I Son, was for many years the landlord, and 
the structure continued in existence until it was 
rejilaced by the De Favour block* al)OUt 1S13. 
Next adjoining was the Samuel Heal}' house, 
northea.st corner of Baptist lane, now Meeting 
street. This was at one time the residence of 
Isaac Wilkinson ; the first meetings of the Bap- 
tist society were held within its walls, and Oziel 
Wilkinson's .store was in the basement. On the 
other corner of Meeting street was the vSweetland 
house, the site of which is now occupied l)y the 
Thomas T<ee block. Tlie next structures in 
succession were the Carpenter house, George 
Jenks's paint shop and store, and Go\-. Joseph 
Jenks's stone chimney house, which .stood 
where Music Hall is at present until 1880. 
Between this old house and the corner of Broad 
street were the dwellings of George and Ivleazer 
Jenks and the 15agley house. The latter is said 
to have been erected about 1730 by a man 
named Dorr, but at this period it was the family 
mansion of E.squire William Bagley, whose fam- 
il\' kept their woodpile out on the sidewalk. 

The lUeazer Jenks house was long known 
as the Jones schoolhouse from the fact that a 
famih' of that name here conductetl a private 
school. The original house was probably 
erected about 1750, but additions were after- 
ward made, so that as it existed within li\-ing 
memory it consisted of three parts. Sam Patch, 
the bridge jumjjer, li\-ed for some >'ears in this old 
<lwelling with his mother, \\ho became its owner 
about 1.S30. It stood on the upper part of the 
site of the Cole block, 277 Main street, and 
remained in existence until iS-jij.i 

A notable old house stood on what is now 

♦Historical .Sketch of I'awtiickct p. Kili. 

tProv. Plan., pp. ;i7(i-7 ; Benedict's Rem., No. 4. 



OLD DWELLINGS ON THE WEST SIDE. 



67 



the northeast corner of Main and Hroad streets. 
It was built about 1740 !)>• Rew Maturin Ballon 
who was both a Baptist clergyman anil a carpen- 
ter. He was the grandson of one of the early 
settlers of Providence. The Rev. Hosea Bal- 
lon, a noted I^niversalist preacher, was tlie 
youngest son of this old resident of Pawtucket, 
but he was born in Richnidiid, N. H., where his 
father removed in 1770, and became the pastor 
of the Baptist church there. The house is sup- 
posed to have been sold to William Jenks by the 
Ballous. It was occupied as a tavern in the 
revolutionary period by Constant Martin, and 
was a rival of the Slack tavern on the other side 
of the river. When the French troops encamped 
between Pawtucket and Providence after the 
battle of Yorktown, the soldiers were good 
patrons of both these old inns, and no doubt 
enlivened the neighborhood with their exploits. 
Col. Slack became the owner of the tavern 
about 1795, and probably purchased it to obviate 
its rivalry with his own hostelr}', but ten years 
later he sold it to Ephraim Miller. 

In the lot northwest corner of Broad and 
Main street, rear of the location of the pres- 
ent Odd Fellows building and the Benedict 
Hou.se, stood the old stone chinniey house built 
by Ebenezer Jenks, which at this period was 
known as the Mason house. On the next lot 
above the corner of what is now North l^nion 
street, but which was then known as Hedge 
lane, was an old buikling occupied b\- Peleg 
Brown, a hatter. His wife was the ]iroud pos- 
sessor of the first umbrelhi owned in the vil- 
lage. The building .stood at No. 11 Broad street 
and was long after known as the Josiali Arming- 
ton house.* 

At the junction of Main street with the 
Smithfield road, now Dexter street, was the 

♦Benedict' s Reiiiiiiisceiices, No. S. 



Croade house, afterward owned by Peter 
Warren, and a short distance u]) the street, 
on east side of the roadway, was the Dexter 
house, an old gambrel-roofed structure, which 
is still standing. 

I'rom this point there were no houses on 
the old road until the present neighborhood of 
Brown's machine shop was reached. The 
dwelling of Cromwell Hill, the father of Thomas 
J. Hill, the well-known manufacturer, stood 
near the corner of Commerce street, and across 
the road from it was the Barrows house. Between 
the ])resent site of Brown's machine shop and 
William H. Haskell Co.'s building, stood a 
structure used by Constant Martin for a tavern 
after he vacated the old Ballon homestead. His 
sign was a gorgeous likeness of Oliver Crom- 
well, suspended between two posts, and from 
this fact the saying originated that "Martin 
had hung the Protector." Adjoining the 
Martin tavern, was a small house inhabited by 
Freelove Jenks, a maiden \a.dy and a descendant 
of the Rev. Ebenezer Jenks. Somewhere near 
the present corner of Pine and Main street was 
the Betty Wood house, and in the rear of it, 
extending liack to where the railroad is now, 
were the Bagley pine woods. This was the 
utmost limit of the compact part of the village 
westward. 

On Quaker lane the first building on the 
south side, after passing the Poet's Corner, was 
the Salisbury house, which was removed to 
the junction of Lumber and Pleasant street. 
The next premises were the dwelling hou.se and 
shop of Sylvanus Brown, the wheelwright who 
made the patterns for the fir.st .spinning machin- 
er\- under Slater's directions. The house was 
built by Ebenezer Jenks about 1730, and the 
building at 42 and 44 Ea.st avenue occupies the 
back portion of its site. James S. Brown, the 
well-known machinerv builder, was the son of 



6S 



I L LIT ST RAT KB HISTORY OF PAWTUCKI'.T. 



SylvcsU-r, and was l)n)iiL;lil ii]i in lliisnld honse. 
Tlic next linilding was a doidilc slu)]) nsL-d tor 
slidu making and tailoring, which was replaced 
in iSij l>y the W'eedcn family mansion, still 
standing, in an altered ,shape and position, at 4S 
to 52 luist avemie. 

O/.ielWilkinsou's residence, bnilt in 1795, 
came next, on the southeast corner of Timotlu' 
lane. In its construction wrought iron nails 
made in the iqijier anchor shop were used. The 
house of Benjamin Arnold, another Quaker, 
stood near that of Oziel \Vilkin.son. At the foot 
of Timothy lane was the tannery of Timoth>' 
Greene, the location being sul)sequentl>- utilized 
by his descenilants for cotton mills, and remained 
in their possession until recent j-ears. His barn 
was near what is now 86 East avenue. South of 
the tanner}- and east of the barn was a fine natural 
meadow, extending along the river bank. This 
field bore a fine crop of grass, and served the 
purpose of a barometer to the neighborhood be- 
cause the grass was so often wet by the rain 
while developing into hay that in a dry time a 
connnoii saying was, " if Uncle Timothy would 
mow his meadow* we might look for rain." 
On the edge of this field, at the ]ioint where the 
road to the landing — now I.undier street — 
branched off, was the Jesse Hopkins house, 
which was replaced by the Otis Walcott steam 
mill. That in turn was burned, and on its site 
about 1.S50 was erected, by Jesse S. Thornton 
& Co., the stone building recently partly torn 
down when East avenue was widened. Further 
down Pleasant street was Old Black John's house, 
on the site of which was erected the dwelling at 
one time the residence of William Jeffers, the fire- 
engine bnikler. The last house on this side of 
the street was the old Armington house, on the 
rocks, subseiiueiith known as Thornton's ledge. 

♦Benedict's Reminiscences, No. ',i. 



The first honse on the west side of Quaker 
lane, bcN'ond the grocery on the corner, was the 
residence of Moses Jenks, built about 1770, and 
occupying a portion of the site of the present 
post-office. Gideon Jenks' s one-story gambrel- 
roofed hou.se came next at Nos. 23 and 27. It 
was moved back under the hill early in the cen- 
tury to give ])lace to Abraham Wilkinson's 
mansion ; was subseqnentl\' used as a waste- 
liduse b\- X. G. B. Dexter when he o]ierated 
the Union block as a >arn mill, and was finally 
demolished and re]ilaceil in its new location lay 
the steam mill of l!liss, Potter .S: Co. The 
Wilkinson mansion still stands on the old site. 
On the site of the brick buililing at 33 and 37 
F^ast avenue, was the Josiah Miller house, built 
about iSoo, which was removed to the Provi- 
dence jiike when the jiresent structure ,was 
erected about 1S5C1. Timothy Greene's man- 
sion stood very close to tlie Miller honse, and 
opjiosite his meadow. 

F'rom tliis point there were no hou.ses on 
the west side of the street until some distance 
bex'ond the present junction of Pleasant street 
and liast avenue, where Nathaniel Walker's 
house stood under the hill opposite Walcott's 
steam mill. The only house beyond this was 
the l^ushee house, opposite the high garden 
wall of Samuel Green's property-. Beyond this 
there were no houses, but a hermit named Ua\'is 
lived in the woods near the river, about half a 
mile be>'ond the junction of Pleasant street and 
Pawtucket a\'enue, on what was afterward 
known as the I5ensle>' place. 

The first house lieyoud the Jerathmeel Jenks 
dwelling at the cc^rner, on the east side of Mill 
street, now North Main, was the residence of 
vStephen Jenks. It was a two-story building, 
stood below the le\-el of the street, from which 
it was reached by a flight of five steps, and oc- 
cupied the site of the brick building at Nos. 13 



PRIMITIVE B L I' A C H K R I E S . 



69 



and 15, at present tenanted by Edward Smith. 
Near the north end of Manchester block was an 
old two-story house which was ori^inalh- a part 
of Thomas Arnold's flour mill. At what is now 
69. North Main street was another two-stor\- 
dwelling — the Mill house — said to have been the 
first residence of Samuel Slater after his mar- 
riage, and which is still standing in a renovated 
condition. Opposite the old Mill house was the 
residence of Deacon Taber, which still stands in 
a remodeled condition at No. 66. 

Just south of where 
McCaughey & Co.'s furniture 
warerooms are now, No. 93, 
was a small building, the 
headquarters of a primitive 
bleachery, the grounds of 
which were along the ri\-er 
bank north of the vSlater mill, 
in the rear of the ju'esent 
police station, ami comprised 
the present premises of the 
F'airbrother tannery. In those 
times the wind and weather 
were the sole agencies em- 
ploN'ed in this industry, the 
cloth or yarn was spread out 
on the grass or stretched on 
frames, and the only mani- 
pulation required was water- 
ing the product in dry 
weather, protecting it in storms, or turning it 
when the sun and air were favorable. This work 
was chiefly performed by women, and the neigh- 
borhood tradition is that the bleaching meadow 
was presided over by an old woman known as 
Mother Cole, whose associates or successors were 
Mothers Higginson and Bagley. The use of 
such familiar terms indicates the .sort of a 
family character possessed by the industr\- of 
that period. 



TIk- i)nl\ other dwellings reached liy or 
tliniugh Mill street was the Levi Jenks, at one 
time known as the old Red House, which still 
stands in the rear of the High Street Methodi.st 
church, and is now a tenement hou.se. Beyond 
this, out in the lots, was the stone chimne\- 
house of Nathaniel Jenks. When Mill street 
was extended, the eastern ell, supposed to have 
been the original frame dwelling of the first 
settler, was directl_\- in the line of the new street, 
and had to be removed and attached to another 




RESIDENCE OF EDWIN DARLING, ESCj. 

part of the building. The entire .structure was 
taken down about twenty-five years ago to make 
wa>' for the jiresent building at 210 North Main 
street. At one time religious ser%'ices were held 
under an elm tree in front of this old residence 
by the congregation of the First Baptist church 
while that building was being enlarged. 

At this period the old red schoolhouse was 
the onl>- institution of learning in either \-illage. 
It was eret'ted about 1793, the principal men and 



70 



ILLUvSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



families in the vicinit\- contributing to the 
exj)ense, and was located near the site of the 
])resent Cit\- hall on IIi.H"h street. The children 
on both sitles of the river were taui;'ht within 
its walls. In the course of time, some years 
before iiS5o, the old schoolhouse was rejilaced 
by Coluiijbia hall, which was in turn moved 
down the lot to make a passage for the con- 
tinuation of High to Main street. The old 
schoollunrse was the first meeting place of 
the Uajitist society Ijefore the erection of the 
church. It was a lodge room for the I'*reeinasons, 
town meetings were held within its walls, and 
for years it was the solitary' precursor* of all the 
halls, schoolhouses and churches which luu'e 
since Ijeen constructed in Pawtucket. 

Originally the schoolhouse was the only 
building on what was subsequently known as 
Baptist hill, l)ut soon after the beginning of the 
centurx' a large dwelling house was Iniilt by 
Elijah White nearly opposite the church. Near 
by, about the same time, the William Read 
house was built, which was removed, consider- 
ably altered, and is .still in existence at 63 East 
avenue. 

The houses mentioned comprised most of 
the .structures in the compact part of the village ; 
btit in the outlying portions of the territory of 
the city and in the present suburl)s were a luim- 
ber of dwelling.s — some of which still exist — 
built by early settlers, which possess more than 
ordinary interest. 

In the lot, corner of vSisson anil Main streets, 
near the junction of Lonsdale avenue, is a house 
said to have been erected about 1750 by John 
Scott for his son-in-law. Dr. Hughes. The 
neigliborhood had been known from early in 
the history of Providence as Meadow Hollow. 
Richard Scott, one of the proprietors and an 



early settler of Providence, had land in 1649* 
near Scott's pond, which was named after his 
familw Job .Scott, a niend)er of this family 
in the direct line, was a well known Ouaker 
jireacher, and died while on a missionary visit 
to Ireland. T 

On the old road to Providence, at what is 
now known as the Campbell place. No. 1059 
Main street, was the old .stone house of the 
listens. In its neighborhood, according to tra- 
dition, there were in the times of the early set- 
tlers, thirteen other dwellings, all of which had 
disap])eared by the beginning of this centur\'. 

On Eonsdale avenue was the Comstock 
house, which in fairly good repair is still stand- 
ing at No. 15S ill the angle between the Wood- 
lawn station aiul the highwa>- bridge, and 
overlooks the railroad. The age of the build- 
ing is not known. The Comstocks have owned 
land in this localitx' since i'''56.t When the 
road, now Lonsdale avenue, was laiil out,-i 
June, 1716, the Comstocks lived in this vicinity 
and the new thoroughfare went through their 
land. 

John Comstock II was prominent in the new 
town of North Providence, was moderator of the 
town meetings and a member of the town coun- 
cil in 1-6S and subsequenth-. The Comstocks, 
like the ICsleiis, inlennarried with the Jenkses. 
About 1700, Esther, a daughter of Judge Wil- 
liam Jenks, married Thomas Comstock, and 
Phebe, a daughter of the Rev. Ebeiiezer Jenks 
also married a Comstock. A generation laterll 
Mercy and listher, two daughters of Dr. John 
Jenks, the son of Judge William Jenks, married 



♦Benedict's Reminiscences, No. 8. 



*Prov. Town Rcc, vol. L', p. 4U. 
tBL-iK-dict's Rfiniiiisct'iices, No. S. 
JProv. Town Rcc, vol. L', p !)7. 
SProv. Town Rec, vol. !l, p. l(i. 
lINorth Prov. Town Rec, manuscript vol. 
HBeuedict's Reminiscences, No. (i. 



SCHOOL BUILDINGS IX PAWTT'CKET AND VICINITY. 





CUMBERLAND HIGH SCHOOL. 
ST. JOSEPH'S SCHOOL. 
GARDEN STREET SCHOOL. 



CENTRAL FALLS HIGH 
ST. MARY'S SCHOOL. 
HANCOCK STREET SCI 



72 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT 



Thomas and John Comstock. A grist mill and 
a forge at what was long called Log Bridge, on 
the Mosliassuck river, was in these early times 
operated by the Comstocks. 

The Jeremiah Sayles tavern is a very old, 
if not indeed the oldest wayside inn, anywhere 
in the vicinity of Providence and Pawtncket. 
In more recent times it was known as tlie Pidge 
tavern, and is still standing on the next lot to 
the southeast corner of Pidge and Pawtncket 
avenues. Before and after the revolution the 
North Providence town meetings were fre- 
quently hekl within its walls, and the old toll 
hou.se was one uf its outbuildings. At the l)e- 
ginning of the centnr\- on the premises now oc- 
cupied b\- the residence of John L. Ross, 535 
Pawtncket avenue, was the Adams Anthony 
milk farm. 

On the corner of Lonsdale avenue and 
Alice street, was the Shreeve house, on the site 
now occupied by the residence of Peter Thorn- 
ley. Further up Lonsdale avenue was the old 
Bagley house, built out in the woods, in 1717 by 
Joseph Bagley, a deacon of the First Congrega- 
tional church of Providence. 

An ancient dwelling worth\' of mention in 
this connection, is the I'Ueazer Arnold stone 
chimne}' house, built in 16S7,* and still in ex- 
istence in an excellent state of preservation. It 



*See Chap. 2, p. '21, for picture of house. 



is in the town of Lincoln, just beyond the village 
of Saylesville, corner of Lonsdale avenue and 
the Smithfield road. In the early records of 
Providence the locality is referred to as the 
"World's End." The building is somewhat 
modernized, and additions have been made at 
various times, but the stone chimney is still in- 
tact and occupies nearly the entire north gable. 
That the house .ser\'ed as a garrison as well as a 
dwelling originally is evident from its con.struc- 
tion, as it is heavily timbered, and on three 
sides the spaces between the studs were filled in 
with liricks, so that the walls were bullet proof 
in case of an Indian attack. At one lime it was 
a tavern, for in 17 10 the then owner was granted 
a license " to keep a public house lor entertain- 
ment of strangers at his tlwelling in Providence 
township." A short distance up the Smith- 
field road is the Benjamin vSmith stone 
chimnex' Imuse, which is not so large as the 
Arnold house, antl was probably built soon 
after it. 

There were only a few scattered dwellings 
where Central Falls and Valley Falls are now, 
and the country in their neighliorhood was 
practicall\- unoccupied. At the beginning of 
the century, the whole countryside consisted of 
the two hamlets at the falls with a few dwell- 
ings sparsely scattered over the remainder of 
the territory now so thickh' covered with the 
homes of Pawtncket and Central Falls. 



m^' 




LUCIUS B. DARLING, 

r-GOVERNOR OF RHODE ISLAND, 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE COMINC OF SLATER AND THE ERA OF COTTON. 



OXK f)f the main causes of the antagonism 
111 the American colonists to the mother 
country which resulted in the re\olution, 
was the constant effort on the part of the British 
.HO\crnment to keeji the pioneers in the New- 
World in a state of industrial dependence. The 
new settlements liad hardly emerged from their 
first struggles with the wilderne.ss and with the 
natives, and the settlers had barel}' secured a 
breathing .spell from the primar}- tasks of clear- 
ing the land and providing food and shelter, 
when the home government began to pa.ss 
restrictive legislation. The colonists were 
ol)Iiged to tratle only with the mother country : 
the exchange of certain articles between the 
colonies was hampered by duties ; manufactures 
were discouraged or prohibited ; and the increase 
of shipping was considered prejudicial and dan- 
gerous. " If they made a hat or a piece of steel 
an act of parliament called it a nuisance ; a 
tilting hanuner or a steel furnace mu.st be 
removed," as their operation was contrary to 
law. ' Such legislation was passed in response 
to the demands of the Hritisli manufacturers, 
wlio feared that the>' would lose the American 
market, and atlopted this course to jirotect their 
interests. 



•White's Memoir of Samuel Slater, pp. 10, '20, L'l. 



These restrictions were removed V)v the 
success of the revolution, but measures adjusted 
to the new circumstances, with the same object 
in view, continued to be carried out. To export 
from Great Britain models or drawings of 
machinery, or the machines themsehes, was a 
grave offence, punishable b\' fine and imprison- 
ment, and the law was vigorously enforced. 
This prohibition applied .specially to machiner\' 
for the manufacture of cotton, wool and silk. 
By such means the great cotton .sjiinning inven- 
tions of Hargreaves, Arkwright and their con- 
temporaries, were kept out of America for twenty 
years after the>' had been in successful operation 
in England. Reports of their wonderful ])er- 
fonnances reached the United States, and 
created such an impression that efforts were 
made in many jdaces to obtain models and con- 
struct and operate the machinery, but no ])er- 
manent success resulted. The.se inventions 
were the first of the great .series that ushered 
in the modern SN'stem of production. A vague 
and my.sterious recognition of their value 
prompted unusual exertions to oljtain them, hut, 
owing to the prohil)iti\e laws, luigland, where 
the\- had originated, continued to monopolize 
them, and for a long period, as a result, was 
the leader of the nations indu.striallv. 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE COMING OF SLATER AND THE ERA OF COTTON. 



OXK i)f the main causes of the antagonism 
111 tlie American coloni.sts to the mother 
country which resuhed in the revohition, 
was the constant effort on the part of the British 
govennnent to keep the pioneers in the New 
World in a state of inchistrial dependence. The 
new settlements had hardly emeri^ed from their 
fir.st .struggles with the wilderness and with the 
natives, and the settlers had bare!}- secured a 
breathing sjiell from the jiriniary tasks of clear- 
ing the land and proviiling food and .shelter, 
when the home government began to pass 
restricti\-e legislation. The colonists were 
obligeil to trade only with the mother country : 
the exchange of certain articles between the 
colonies was hampered by duties ; manufactures 
were discouraged or prohibited ; and the increase 
of .shipping was consideretl prejuilicial and dan- 
gerous. " If they made a hat or a jnece of steel 
an act of parliament called it a nuisance : a 
tilting hannner or a steel furnace must be 
removed," as their operation was contrary to 
law." Such legislation was passed in respon.se 
to the denumds of the British manufacturers, 
who feared that thej- would lose the American 
market, and adopted this course to protect their 
interests. 

♦White's Memoir of .Samuel .Sjaicr, pii. l:i, Jii, L'l. 



These restrictions were removed b>- the 
success of the revohxtion, but measures adjusted 
to the new circum.stances, with tlie same object 
in view, continued to be carried out. To export 
from Great Britain models or drawings of 
machinery, or the machines themseh-es, was a 
grave offence, punishable by fine aiid im])rison- 
ment, and the law was vigorously enforcetl. 
This prohibition applied specially to machinery 
for the manufacture of cotton, wool and silk. 
I5y such means the great cotton spinning inx'en- 
tions of Hargreaves, Arkwright and their con- 
temporaries, were kept out of America for twenty 
years after they had been in successful operation 
in England. Reports of their wonderful jier- 
formances reached the United .States, and 
created such an impression that efforts were 
made in many ])laces to obtain models and con- 
struct and operate the machinery, Ijut no per- 
manent sticcess resulted. These inventions 
were the fir.st of the great series that tishered 
in the motlern system of production. .\ vague 
and mysterious recognition of their \alue 
prompted unusual exertions to obtain them, but, 
owing to the prohibitix'e laws, ICngland, where 
thev had originated, continued to monopolize 
them, and for a long period, as a result, was 
the leader of the nations industriallv. 



74 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



The revolution brought to America not 
only political but also industrial freedom. Still, 
for a long time, there was little industrial inde- 
pendence. The development of manufactures 
had not only been prevented by adverse legis- 
lation, but had also been retarded b\- the natural 
difficulties incident to life in a new countr\-. 
The finer articles of clothing, furniture, tools 
and objects of art and luxur}", hail, of necessity, 
been imported. As a consequence, the belief, 
which at first was well founded, continued long 
in the popidar miiul that foreign goods were 
better than domestic. With the coming of 
peace in 17S3, a great impetus was given to new 
enterprises. The revolutionary .struggle. In- 
bringing the men of the various colonies 
together, and the necessity it created for 
rapid planning and vigorous action, had vivi- 
fied and awakened the minds of the people 
so that new avenues of exertion were sought 
after. 

The belief in the superiority of foreign 
goods, the difficulty of obtaining machinery and 
starting new manufactures, the luxury that 
arose as a natural reaction from the privations 
of the war period, — all prevented the immediate 
achievement of industrial indepentlence. The 
influx of foreign goods after the revolution 
drove domestic products in a measure out of the 
market, and discouraged and bankrupted many 
of the pioneer manufacturers. To overcome 
this difficulty a knowledge of improved methods 
and machinery was essential. This great want 
was supplied by Samuel Slater. He not only 
was the means of starting a new indu.stry at 
Pawtucket, but his achievements mark the 
beginning of an industrial era on the American 
continent. B\- his energy and intelligence the 
secrets of the new mechanism were revealed, 
and the prohibitive and monopolistic policy of 
the British manufacturers thwarted. 



Samuel Slater was born in Belper, Derby- 
.shire, I'higland, June 9, 1768, and was the fifth 
.son of William Slater, of Holly House,* an 
independent yeoman who cultivated his own 
land, carried on Imsiness as a tindjer merchant, 
and was jjossessed of consideral)le property. 
June 2S, 17SJ, when 14 _\ears of age, Sanuiel 
went to live with Jedediah vStrutt, at Milford, 
near Belper, as a clerk, and six months there- 
after, on Jan. 8, 1783, he apprenticed himself to 
Mr. vStrutt to learn the art of cotton spinning. 
His term of service, as stated in his indenture, + 
was six years and a half, and, with the prelimin- 
ary six months, the total period of his appren- 
ticeship was seven years. Mr. Strutl, who was 
the inventor of the ribbed stocking machine, 
had formed a partnership with vSir Richard Ark- 
wright some years before, and at this time the 
firm was erecting a large cotton mill at Milford. 
It was in this factory that Samuel Slater ser\?ed 
his apprentice.ship. He was, however, no or- 
dinary apprentice. He was a good accountant, 
" wrote well and was good at figures;" early 
manifested inventive ability in suggesting 
improvements in machinery; was thoroughly 
interested in the business, and had great con- 
centrativeness.J So well did he improve his 
ojiportunities that for the last four or five years 
of his apprenticesliij) he was general overseer of 
the mill, both in the manufacturing and in 
making machiner>-, which was then necessarily 
part of the business. He thus became a skilled 
mechanic as well as a manufacturer. 

During the probationary six months jire- 
ceding vSamuel's apprenticeship, his father fell 
from a load of hay and sustained such injuries 
that he died shortly afterward. Owing to this 
occurrence, and in accordance with his father's 

♦White's Memoir of S. Slater, pp. 30, 31, 41. 
tWhite's Memoir of S. Slater, opposite p. 33. 
tWhite's Memoir of S. Slater, pp. 34, 40. 



SI.ATJ'R LI', AX'ICS KNOLAXI). 



wish, Saiimel signed his own iiulentures and 
transacted the affair himself. His share of his 
father's estate was two houses in Belper, a nail 
store and another building, all of which sold 
many years after for nearly $2,000. When he 
departed from ICngland he left this property 
intact as provision again.st future contingencies. 
Slater's apprenticeship expired early in 
July, 17S9, l)ut he continued in Mr. Strutt's 
employment until late in August, during this 
brief interval superintending the erection of an 
addition to the mill at Milford. 
For two years before this time 
his attention had been at- 
tracted to America through 
reading al)out attempts to es- 
tablish cotton spinning, and 
accounts of the bounties which 
were offered to inventors and 
manufacturers. * Evidently 
he had come to the conclusion 
that in the United States an 
opportunity was open to him 
to establish himself in business 
in his chosen occupation. In 
accordance with the character- 
istic which always distinguished 
him, he kept his intention se- 
cret, partly because of the laws 
against exporting plans and part- 
ly probaljly because he objected 
instinctively to the incidental worry through 
gossip and the reluctance ol his relatives to 
part with him, all of which influences might 
have prevented his departure for a time at least. 
He left his home vSeptembL-r i, ijSy, telling his 
mother when he took his clothes that he was 
going to London, but he wrote previous to his 
departure informing her of his intentions and 



destination. In his possession he had no draw- 
ing, description or model of cotton spinning or 
carding machinery, as owing to the severe laws 
then in force in Jvngland he feared he might be 
searched, and prevented from emigrating if any 
such documents were found on his person. 
The only paper he had was his indenture. The 
government officers passed him without question, 
as he looked, from his large frame and robust 
appearance, more like a farmer's son than a 
skilled mechanic* He sailed from London, 




STATE ARMORY. 

STREET, EAST SIDE. 



Septemlier i,^, 17S9, and arrived in Xew York, 
November 18, after a passage of sixty-six da\s. 
Thus a youth of 21, brought the first accurate 
knowledge of the won<lerful new automatic 
machiner\', which his experience and skill en- 
abled him to put into successful o|ieration at a 
time when all other similar efforts had utterly 
failed. 



♦White's Memoir of S. Slater pp. 33, 37 



•AVhite's Memoir of S. Slater, p. 37 



ILLUvSTRATKI) HISTORY ()!• 1' AWT UCKET. 



He went to work for the New York Mami- 
f.-u'turiiii; Coiiqnuu' iiniiiediatelx' on his arri\';il ; 
Imt as their iii;\ehiiier\- was crude and not of the 
Arkwrii^ht iiueiition, and their water power was 
])oor and iiiadciuate, he was dissatisfied. At 
this juncture, wlien lie had been three weeks in 
the country, he learned through Captain Curry, 
the skipper of a 
packet plying be- 
tween Providence 
and New York, 
about Moses Brown 
and his atteni]its to 
])roniote cotton 
spinning and the 
construction of 
machinery at Prov- 
idence. vSlater at 
once wrote to him 
offering his ser- 
vices as "a man- 
ager of cotton 
spinning," and 
stating that he 
could build the 
m ach i n er\' and 
make as good yarn 
as could be made 
in England, but 
that he preferred 
to accomplish this 
on the Arkwright* 
machinery. Moses 
Brown replied im- 

mediatel\', in a letter dated Dec. lo, 1789, offering 
Slater all the profits atiove the interest of the 
money and the wear and tear of the machinery, 
for a period of six months, if he would perfect 
the machines he and his associates had secured. 




CHARLES A. WARLAND 



and would operate them successfnll\'. Slater 
accepted the pruposition, terminated his New 
York engagement as quickly as possible, and 
came to Providence. He went out to Pawtucket 
with Moses BrDwu, Januar\' iS, Init when he 
saw the machines that lie was expected to per- 
fect and operate he declared they were useless, 
and that it would 
be necessary to 
alter them radi- 
cally or make new 
machinery. 

These machines 
were the result nf 
all the experiments 
that had been con- 
ducted in Provi- 
dence and \'icinity 
liir se\eral years. 
Mdses Pirnwn had 
]i u rch a sed them 
one after another 
in an endeavor to 
establish a cotton 
s])iniiing and wea\'- 
iug business, and 
had gi\'en the man- 
agement (if the 
enterprise to his 
son-in-law William 
Alniy, and to a 
k i nsm a 11 , vSmith 
lirown, who were 
carrx'ing it on 
under the name of Alniy >.\: Ihown. This 
machinery,' at the time (if Slater's arrixal, 
consisted of two spinning frames, one of 32 
and the other of 24 spindles ; an S4-spiiidle 
and a 6o-s]iindle spinning jenny : and a 



♦White's Memoir of S. Slater, p. 72, 



•White's Memoir of S. Slater, p. 64. 



THE FIRST SPINNIXC; MACHIXHRV. 



(louliliii;^ :iiul twisting jeinn- and a stock 
caul ; which were all located in the Ivzekiel 
Carpenter clothier Iniihling, on the sonthwest 
abutment of the bridge at Pawtucket, where 
they had been placed so that the water power 
might be used. The spinning frames could not 
be operated at a profit, and were not in use ; hut 
some },"arn of a poor 
quality was produced 
on the jennies. 

Almy & Brown had 
a number of Scotch 
and Irish weavers 
w o r k i n g for them . 
The looms were lo- 
cated in the cellars or 
first floors of private 
houses, and probaltly 
a number of them 
were m the \'illage of 
Pawtucket. liecanse 
cotton yarn could not 
be produced, linen 
warps were used, but 
the varn spvni on the 
jennies, most of which 
were run in jnivate 
houses, was utilizeil 
for filling. The firm's 
production b}- these 
methods in the year 
and a half from June 

II, lySy, to Jan. i, 1791, was 1S9 pieces, 
containing 4556 yards, and the goods were 
corduroy, royal rib, demins, cottonets, jeans 
and fustian, which sold from i .shilling and 
8 pence to 4 shillings a yard. After the 
spinning machiner\- was put in successlnl 
operation at the end of 1790, the increase 
of the ]irodnction was very great. nuring 
the first ten months of 1791 the total was 




GROVE STREET SCHOOL. 



,^26 pieces aggregating 7S23 yards.* Slater 
ex'idently attemjited to operate the machinery 
he found in the clothier's building. Cer- 
lainl\ the two spinning frames were utilized, 
for while thej- were not perfect they were an 
approximation to the Arkwright models. But 
the other machinery was enlireh- useless. The 
fir.st ten weeks after 
his arrival were prob- 
ably spent in tliese 
preliminary attemjits. 
Then, as it was clearly 
perceived that im- 
proved preparatory 
machinery was abso- 
lutely necessarv, a 
new agreement was 
made Ijetween him 
and Almy 6t Brown 
b\' which^ it was j)ro- 
\ided that he was to 
construct " two card- 
ing machines, a 
lireaker and a finish- 
er : a drawing or 
roving frame : and 
to extend the spin- 
ning mills or frames 
t o o n e Ii u n d re d 
spindles." He was 
to be the owner of 
half the machinery 
and receive half the profits, but was "to be 
at tlie exjiense of his own time and Ijoard," 
and was to be chargetl with one-hall the 
cost of both the old and new macliinery. He 
then began the construction of the .\rkwright 
machiner\-, beginning the work Ix-hind closed 
doors in the sho]i of .Sylvanus Brown, who 

•WhitL-'s MLtiioir of S. Slater, p. 05. 



78 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



made the patterns* in wood under Slater's 
direction. These precautions were taken at 
Slater's desire, as he did not wish his models to 
be copied or stolen. 

Up to this ])oint little or nothing: had been 
accomplished, although Slater had demonstrated 
his ability by operating the spinning frames and 
improving them. That some doubt existed in 
the minds of the members of the firm is e\idenl 
from the expression in the agreement, namel\- : 
" the spiiuiing of cotton by water, of which the 
said Sanuiel professes himself a workman, well 
skilled in all its branches." He, however, had 
great confidence in his own abilities. The fact 
that under the.se discouraging circumstances he 
persevered and impressed his a.s.sociates with 
his own belief in his ultimate success, demon- 
.strates not only the .sturdy, unflinching and 
indomitable qualities of his character, but also 
his power of impressing others, all of which 
contributed so nuich to his success. 

When the patterns were finished, Da\-id 
Wilkinson forged the iron workt and turned the 
rollers and spindles. He seems to have been 
Slater's chief assistant, although other local 
machini.sts were also engaged in the work. Not- 
with.standing this effective help, the machinery- 
was constructed " princijially by his [>Slater's] 
own hands, "t He ]>r(il)ably assendded the 
parts and erected the machines, and all the 
details were .strictly under his supen-ision. 
Delays occurred, caused by the fact that the 
neighborhood mechanics had not been trained in 
machine construction, and the local "iron 
mills" were unable to do much of the work 
reiinired. Slater was obliged to go with Da\'iil 



•White's Memoir of ,S. Slater, p. 74. 

tDavid Wilkinson's Reminiscences, North Pr 
dence Centennial, p. 77. 

^White's Memoir of S. Slater, p. 42. 



Wilkinson to Mansfield, Mass., to have castings 
iiuule for card rims and wheels.* When the 
machinery was completed the cards wotdd not 
work, and Slater was nitich discouraged, 1 but 
through the assistance of Pliny Earle, a ma- 
chinist who had been engaged to construct 
them, the defect, which was that the teeth were 
not bent sufficiently, was remedied and success 
assured. The credit of this achievement has by 
tradition been ascribed to other mechanics, 
among whom are Syh'anus Brown and John 
Field. 

Because of these hindrances the machinery 
was not in ftdl operation until Dec. 20, 1790, 
ele\'en months after Slater's arri\-al in Paw- 
tncket. At least one of the spiiniing frames! 
was completed before this time, but it could not 
l:)e run constantly until the "preparatory ma- 
chinery" was finished. The machinery then 
consisted of three cards, drawing and roving- 
frames, and two .spinning frames, one of 24 and 
the other of 4.S spindles. The motive ])o\ver 
was obtainetl from the okl fulling mill water 
wheel. This was .so exposed that it was fre- 
quentl}- frozenS in the wheel pit during the first 
winter, and Slater was obliged to break it out 
Itefore he coidd start the machinerN-. The oj)er- 
atives were >-oung children. Four were em- 
ployed the first week, eight the next, nine the 
third and fourth, and about that number, or a 
few more, while the business was continued in 
the clothier's shop. The names of these first 
cotton factory operatives were : Torpen, Charles, 
Eunice and Ann .\rnold ; Jabez, John ami \'ar- 
nus Jeiiks ; Smith Wilkinson and Otis Barrows. || 

*I)avid Wilkinson's Remini.scences, North Provi- 
dence Centennial, p. 7S. 

tWhite's Memoirs of S. Slater, p. I)(i. 

Jl^etter of Moses Brown, p. S5, Slater's Memoir. 

gWhite's Memoir of S. Slater, p. 9,S. 

II White's Memoir of S. Slater, p. 99. 



ERECTION OF THE OLD SLATER MILL- 



79 



In these premises and with this machinery, 
vShiter and his partners carrieil on the manufac- 
ture for twenty months, and liad produced so 
much yarn that the local weav^ers could not con- 
sume it and no market could be found for sev- 
eral thousand ])ountls. Almy & Brown also 
had a chehouse and occupied other buildings 



which has a longer staple than the Sea Island, 
and a fibre like silk. 

When tlie business was demonstrated to be 
a success, it was decided to erect a factory 
where all the operations could be carried on 
under one roof. Accordingly, early in 1793, a 
building was begun on the west bank of the 




RESIDENCE OF ROBERT CROSSLEY, 



where the clf)th their weavers produced was 
calendered and finished. These various opera- 
tions were carried on in different buildings, and 
at some inconvenience. Slater sent some of his 
first yarn to his old master, Jedediah Strutt, 
who said it was as good as any made in Eng- 
land. The cotton first used was Surinam, 



ri\'er, the first machines were remox'ed to it, ad- 
ditional machinery built, and on the 12th of 
Jul\', 1793, operations were begun in this fac- 
tory. This old mill is still .standing at the west 
end of the upper dam, but it has been added to 
at various times, .so that while the original tim- 
bers remain the structure is trreatlv chauired in 



8o 



I UL US 'PR AT]'; I) HISTORY ( ) !■ 1' A W'T U C K IvT. 



appearance. Willi llie starting of tliis niill the 
firm was renr.oani/.ed, tln' ]>:iitneis bein;^ ( »lia- 
(liali liriiwn, sun nl Moses lirowii, William 
Alm>- and Samuel Slater, wlm each had a third 
interest. ( )liadiah lirciwu i-niitiiuied in the 
Inisiness until his death, and Slater retained 
his third until iSjg, when he sold out to Wil- 
liam .\lm\-. ' 

The ])rodnetion in the old clotliier's sho]) 
was so mneh in excess "1 the immediate demand 
that Moses lirown was afraid all his farms 
would lie spun into yarn, and he called a halt, 
which proliahlx- accounts for the inter\-al he- 
tween the end r)f the " twent\- nmnths," about 
Xov. I, 171)2, and the starting of the old mill. 
This ])eriod was doubtless spent by Slater in 
constr-uctinj; new machiner\-, and dnrint; the 
latter part of the time in superintending the 
erection of the mill. vSlater's profits for the 
first twent>- months were o\er /,"400,t and he 
had in addition earned his hall of the machinery 
and stock. The loundaticms nl a fcntune were 
thus alread\- laid, and the \i)nng hjiglishnian, 
then onl\- 24 years old, was the owner of a third 
in the most ])nifitable business in the countr\-, 
established b\ his own ingenuilv and ]iersever- 
a nee. 

The first (Uitside market for the \arn was 
Salem. Mass. 'I'hen sume was sent to Hart- 
ford, Conn., but as the business developed, 
Philadelphia became the chief market. The 
first \'arn connnission merchant was Elijah 
Waring of Philadelphia, who acted as .selling 
agent for Samuel vSlater for many years. At 
the beginning. New York and lifistou took very 
little of the product, but a large amount was 
worked np at home b\- the local hand-loom 
wea\-ers. 

•White'.'? Memoir of S. Slater, p. '244. 
tWliite's Memoir of S. Slater, p. 7(j. 



When Sannicl Slater first came to Paw- 
tucket, he was introduci-d b\- Moses ]5rown to 
O/iel Wilkinson, and went to board in his 
house. Ivver\- one of the family seems to ha\'e 
treated him with great kindness, encouraged and 
sustainetl him in the tr\ing jierioil when he was 
bnikling the first machines, and the Wilkinson 
brothers, especiallx' I)a\'id, rendered him \-alu- 
able practical assistance. He fell in love with 
Hannah, one of the dangliters. Although the 
parents did not favor his suit at fir.st, because 
he was not a P'riend, the cu.stfim of the period 
being for Quakers to marry in their own re- 
ligious connection, yet they soon consented, 
vSlater's persistence and good sense carrying the 
day, as usual, and he and Hannah Wilkinson 
were married Oct. 2, lyyi, when he had been 
about two years in America. vSeven sons anil 
two daughters were born to them. Mrs. Slater 
dieil Oct. 2, 1S12, in her ,vSth year. He was 
married again, Nov. 21, iSiy, to Mrs. ]<'stlier 
Parkinson, who snr\i\'e(l him iiu" man\' \'ears, 
but there were no cfiiUlren by this second mar- 
riage. 

In the new mill at first there was the same 
nnndier of spindles, 72, as had been operated in 
the clothier's .shop. These were increa.sed and 
other machinery added as the business slowly 
de\eloped. The market for the \arn opened uj) 
to such an extent that vSlater thought there was 
room for another null. In 179S he formed a 
]iartnership, under the name of Samuel Slater 
(!<: Co., with O/.iel Wilkinson, Timothy Greene 
and William Wilkinson, the two latter being 
also sons-in-law of Oziel W^ilkinson. The con- 
struction of a mill was begun on the Rehoboth 
side of the river, north of the bridge, but it was 
not completed and in operation until the middle 
of i.Soi. This dela>- was occasioned liy the fact 
that the machiner\- had all to lie made on the 
premises. For many \ears this was the uniform 



vS L A T !•: R • S F. N T I{ R P R I S E . 



8i 



jiractice iiiilil a class of mechanics had lu'eii 
trained, chietl>- llironL;h .Slater's instructidiis, in 
the special line of mechanical constrnction. 
vSlater owned a hall interest in this mill, and 
was the manager and siqierintendent. I'or 
these services he recei\'ed a dollar and a half a 
day, and he performed the same work for the 
old mill, at the same pa>-.' I''or this 
wage of three dollars he lal)ore(l from 
twelve to fifteen hours a dax- for \-ears. 

In these two mills all the men who 
started cotton sjiinniiig factories for the 
first decade succeeding the starting of 
the industry at Pawtucket, received 
their training in constructing machiner\- 
and in the details of the manufacture. 
TheN- were, indeed, the schools for the 
pioneer manufacturers and machinists. 

As his ]iropert\' increased, vSlater 
extended his ojierations. He became a 
partner in some of the shops and mills 
ol the Wilkinsons, his wife's relati\-es. 
His brothel-, John Slater, who arrixed 
from luigland about 1.^03, and brought 
with him a knowledge of the spinning- 
nude inxented b\- Crompton, \\as sent 
to the northern ]iart of Rhode Island, 
where as agent for Alm>-, lirown 6t 
vSlater, he estalilished the \-illage of 
Slatersville in 1S06-7, being an eipuil 
partner in the enter])rise with the three 
mendiers of the original firm. He 
e\-entnally bought them out, and the 
property is still in the hands of his de- 
scendants, who, b}' means of this iniluslr\- and 
similar mills elsewhere, are people of inunense 
wealth. John Slater married Ruth, 1 the daugh- 
ter of J<ilin Pjucklin, the owner of one of the 
liucklin larnis on the east side of the ri\-er. 

♦White's Memoir of S. Slater, pp. im;, isii. 
tBenedict's Reminiscences, No. 27. 



In iSii Samuel Slater started a mill at 
Oxford, afterwards W'ebster, Mass., and devel- 
oped both the cotton and woolen industries there. 
In company with other capitali.sts he built a 
small cotton mill at Amoskeag falls, f)n the 
Merrimac ri\-er, in 1S22, and this enterprise was 
the real beginning of the manufacturing cilv of 




Manchester, N. II. With his brother John, he 
IMirchased a small mill at Jewelt Cit\-, Conn., in 
i.Sj:;, and put it on a successful l-)asis, but in 
[S;,i he sold out to John, in whose family the 
propert\- still remains. He started, in 1827, at 
Pi'ovidence, the first steam mill in Rliode Island 
and one of the first in the country. It is still 



ILI.USTRATKI) HISTORY OF PAW TUCK KT. 



staiuliiiij; on Providence ii\-er at the foot of Ship 
street. 

When the linaneial panic of iS2t) broke 
over tile conntr>-, .Shiter was teni]ioraril>' em- 
barrassed. He did not o\\x- any ]iersonaI dcl)ts, 
Init he had endorsed fen- the Wilkinsons and 
others who had failed, and was thereby liable for 
$300,000. His property, however, anionnte<I to 
$6go,ooo. Through an arrangement effected by 
Mcses Brown and other friends he was enabled 
to continue his business, and in a short time 
paid his indebtedness. In readjnsting his affairs 
he sold his interest in the old mill and the 
Slatersxille ])ropert>- to William Alm\-, but he 
ultimately repurchased the latter. He also be- 
came the sole pos.sessor at the same time of the 
.steam mill in l'ro\-idence, and the mill at Wil- 
kinsonx'ille, Mass., in which he was a joint 
owner with David Wilkinson. As a result of 
these occurrences his industrial connection with 
Pawtucket was severed and was never renewed. 
The later years of his life were spent at Web- 
ster, Mass., where he dieil April 21, iS,;5, in 
his 6ytli year. He left a Iart;e estate, which 
has increased in the hands of his descendants, 
who are people of consequence and standing in 
the community. His .sons and grandsons have 
been manufacturers of prominence. 

After liis secontl marriage his wife erected 
a brick mansion house, which is still standing 
at No. 69 I^asl avenue, in a good state of preser- 
vation. Here, after his decease, his widow 
lived until her death, Dec. 23, 1859, aged Si 
years. vSlater was one of the f(ninders of the 
St. Paul's Episcopal church, and a tablet to his 
memory, erected Ijy Mrs. Slater, is in the \-esti- 
bnle of the church edifice. 

Soon after starting his machinery, .Slater is 
said to have begun a vSunday school* after the 



♦While's Memoir of ,S. Slater, pp. liSl- 



plan of those with which he was familiar in 
Ivngland. Inslniclion was gixen in the regular 
blanches, and the school was not originally re- 
ligious in character. His jnijiils were the boys 
and girls employed in the mill, and >^later is 
presumed to have taught them himsell at first, 
l)ut afterwards teachers were hired and the ex- 
pense paid 1)\' the firm. Oziel Wilkinson and 
members of his fainil_\- also assisted. This was 
probably the first regular school in Pawtucket. 
Other manufacturers took up the idea and it 
was i)roducti\'e of great benefit. The .Sunday 
.schools of the First Piaptist church, and of the 
St. Paul's I{])iscopal church are claimed to be 
direct descendants of these original "first da\' 
schools," which were among the first of the 
kind in America. 

In his jiersonal appearance Samuel vSIater was 
of a commanding figure. He was nearly six 
feet in height, of a large frame, stout, but not 
fat, and his weight was over 200 pounds. His 
comiilexion was light, "his features regular, 
his foreheail broad and high, ami his expres- 
sion intellectual." He alwa\s dressed plainly, 
inostlv in cloth of his own manufacture, and 
his garments were loose and ill-fitting, as 
jutlged b>' jiresent-day standards. In his man- 
ner he was slow and dignified, but he was a 
strict disciplinarian, and expected the utmost 
diligence from those who worked for him. In 
that sense he was a se\-ere taskmaster. He 
kept a close watch o\er all his employees, es- 
peciall}' the l)o\s, and wcnild not tolerate any 
carelessness or waste of time or material. 

His character was as strongly marked as 
his personal apjiearance. He was self-reliant ; 
confident of his own ability ; shrewd, e.xact, 
careful, discerning, energetic and laborious : 
hated show and disjday ; was cautious, but en- 
terprising ; had great executive ability ; his 
integrity was uiuiuestioned, and he was scru- 



CHARACTERISTICS OF SLATER. 



pulously j„st i„ his dealings, and careful to keep his pron.ise.- 
he was just, l,„t se^■ere ; practical, with little senti.nent ; l,,u,U ' 
bluff, and nnpatient „f ^ossip and tattling. His letters show thai 
he had a dry, caustic hun.or. His n.ind was alert and active 
'H> as he ha<l little tune to devote to reading, he was unculti: 
vated. He was charital.le, especially to his own countrvn,en 
">auy of whom sought the old mill as a haven of refu-e • hut 
even ,n tins characteristic his common .sense predo„,inate.l for 
he always preferred rather to give work than ahns. I„ l.^ef 
Samul Slater, as he .said of hin.self, was a ■■plain, ,dunt 
Enghshn.an," who was singularlv well fitted to accon,plish the 

!;*f ;'"^ _'^" "" '"^ '"^' ->'' '1'- i" stress and toil became the 
lather of American manufactures." 
The success of Samuel 

Slater .stimulated other men 

throughout the country to 

engage in cotton .spinning. 

Mills were started, especially 
alter the beginning of the 
century, on every .stream in 
southern N e w E n g 1 a n d . 
Within a radius of thirty miles 
from Providence, in iSi2,there 
were in Rhode Island thirty- 
three mills with eighty-six 
thousand .spindles, and in 



83 





LYONS DELANY, 

ALDERMAN FOURTH WARl 




ALFRED E. TENNEY, 

MANUFACTURING HACHINtST 



F. EUGENE BARKER, 

HARDWARE DEALER. 



Mas.sachnsetts twenty mills 
with over sixty thousand 
SI- indies. Of the Rhode 
Island mills, five were in 
North Providence and eight 
in Rehoboth. The greater 
number of this total of thir- 
teen were in the village of 
Pawtucket, and several others 
were within the present limits 
of the municipalitv. 

The first mill in Reho- 
both was the one alreadv 
mentioned, built by Samuel Slater .S: Co., which be,.an opera- 
tions in 1801 on the ea.st side at the falls. Slater .sold out his 
niterest in 1810, and the firm then became known as ^^•ilkin.son 
Greene cV Co. The original mill was of wood, and was known 
first as the New mill, and then as the White mill. The stone 
"■•11 on the .second lot on the east .side, north of the bridge occu- 
p.es Its site, and was built by Timothy Oreeiie & Sons "in i,s., 
after the destruction of the first mill by fire. M-i,kinso„' 
Greene .S: Co., i„ ,s„, built a stone mill at the end of the upper 
dam pist north of the White mill. .V portion of this old struc- 
ture has sun■i^■ed the fires and vicissitudes of time and is an 
nuegral part of what has long been known as the Dexter 
yarn mill. 



84 



1 1, 1, r ST RAT EI) HISTORY OF P AWT U C K I-:T. 



On the snutlieast ahutiiiuiit of the liridge, 
(in the site of HnL;h Kennedy's oil mill, a fac- 
tory was hnilt in iSos by tile Cotton and Oil 
Manulaetnrini; Co., the jiartners in which were 
Nathaniel Croade, Kbenezer Tyler, Oliver Stark- 
weather, Benjamin Walcott, Eliphalet Slack, Dr. 
Billings and others." This mill was originally- 
known as the Yellow mill, and later as the 
liridge mill, and is still in existence, mnch 
altered, howe\er, from its original form. The 
same conipan\- built in iSi,:; the Stone mill, a 
portion of which is still standing on the east 
side of Ri\er street, near the bridge. 

Another cotton factory, started in tliose 
earlv \ears within the present limits of Paw- 
tucket, was at Kent's Mills, on the Ten Mile 
ri\er. A saw and grist mill was operated here 
about the beginning of the century, and was 
converted into a cotton mill in 1S1.19. The mill 
was on an island, and is mentioned in the act 
separating Pawtucket from .Seekonk in iSj.S. 
In icS_^6 it was owned by Remember and Will- 
mington Kent, contained fifteen looms and three 
hnndred and fifty-four spindles, employed six- 
teen hands, and turned out al)out one hundred 
thousand >ards of cloth annually. t .Suljse- 
queutl\- the village became known as Lebanon, 
a larger mill replaced the old factory about 
i860, and the manufacture was carried on here 
until 1S8S, when the factory was burned down. 
At jiresent tlie Pawtucket Dyeing & Bleaching 
Co. have works here. 

The other spinning mills in Rehoboth were 
the Orleans factory on the Palmer river, at the 
head of tide water, erected by the Palmer River 
Manufacturing Co. in iSii ; the mill of the Re- 
hoboth I'nion Manufacturing Co., erected in 
Rehoboth village in i Soy ; and the Seekonk 
Central Pactory started in 1810, on the Ten 

"Historical .Sketcli of I'awtiicl^fl, Goodricli, p. 01. 
tHistory of Rehobotfi, p. 2;!8. 



Mile river, a mile from its mouth.* Thus in 
the old town of Rehoboth, in 1 Si 2- 13, were 
eight mills, fi\-e of them within the limits of 
Pawtucket on the east side, and their presence, 
with the increase of population and wealth they 
brought, was the main cause, first of the incor- 
poration of Seekonk and then of Pawtucket. 

Some of the liucklins, about iSir, either 
utilized Solomon .Smith's old tlaniT or l)uilt an- 
other one on Bticklin's brook, and erected a 
small stone mill in which cotton yarn was manu- 
factured for three or four years, when the mill 
was burned. Alni}-, Brown (S: Slater then pur- 
chased the water power and forty acres of land 
aljout 1S17 from Nanc^' Bucklin, and here 
carried on the bleaching of cotton cloth and 
yarn, John B. Braid being the active manager 
of the l)usiness. The prennses were subse- 
(|uentlv utilized for calico jirinting, were oper- 
ated as the Franklin printworks from 1830 to 
1836, and Ix'came the home in 1S36 df the Dun- 
nell printworks, which have since then been 
carried on here continuously. + 

Near the mouth of Bucklin's brook a mill 
was erected and calico printing and bleaching 
was begun in 1826 by Sinnnons L. Hall. In 
the course of a year he sold out to Dwight 
Ingraham, who converted the mill into a cotton 
factory. F'or many \ears this industry was 
carried on here, and the place was long known 
as Ingrahaunille, but at present the water 
power is not used, and the ponds and water 
courses are in a neglected condition. 

Meanwhile, on the west side the cotton in- 
du.stry was also increasing. Oziel Wilkinson and 
his sons in iSio built a .stone mill on the west 
bank, south of the old mill. This structure is 
still standing, was known for a long time as the 

♦History of Rehoboth, p. 285. 

tChapter 4., p. 58. 

:;iIistorical SUt-tcli of I'au tuckcl, \k sIi. 



86 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



LeFavour mill, and is now occupied Viv the 
PawUicket Gas Co. Tiinotlu' Greene converted 
his tannery into a cott(in mill earl\- in the cen- 
tnr\ , and his descendants lonj; continued to 
operate the factory here. The capacity of the 
old Slater mill had been successively increased 
until at this jieriod it had more spindles than 
anv other factor\', so that, although on the west 
.side there were only tliree mills, while the other 
side had four, the probabilit\ is that the num- 
ber of spindles was about e(|ual. The general 
business on the west side was, however, much 
greater. 

Precise details about the l)uilding of Slater's 
first machinery are hard to ascertain, as the ac- 
counts are vague and conflicting. Sylvanus 
Brown and David Wilkinson are both said to 
ha\e iin-euted the slide lathe,* and to have 
made the first machinery. The likelihood is 
that S>lvanus Brown, who was a wheelwright, 
made the patterns and woodwork of the ma- 
chines, and that David Wilkinson forged the 
ironwork, saw that the castings were made, and 
turned the rollers and spindles. Such, it may 
safely be assumed, was the latter's .share in the 
work, as he was a skillful worker in iron, his 
father's shops were at his di.sposal, and he was 
certainly the inventor of the slide lathe. t Other 
mechanics aided in building the first machinery, 
but the.se two were the chief assistants, and 
Slater was the directing and supervising intelli- 
gence. 

Through the experience thus gained, David 
Wilkinson became the finst special builder of 
cotton machinery. He established his work- 
shops in the basement of his father's stone mill, 
built in iSio north of the bridge, although pre- 
vious to that time he had made machines, prob- 



♦Historical Sketch of Pawtucket, pp. 44, 48, 51. 
tDavid Wilkinson's Reminiscences, North Provi- 
dence Centennial, p. 8'_'. 



ably in the general .shops belonging to the 
family, for the cotton factories at Pomfret, 
Conn., built In- the Wilkinsons and others in 
iSo6. His father and lirothers were interested 
in his enterprise, and David was likewise a 
partner in their undertakings, but machinery 
building became his specialty. He sujijilied 
mills in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Jersey 
and Maryland, and sent his machinery as far 
away as Tarboro and Martinsburg, North Caro- 
lina ; Pittsburg, Penn.; and to places in Geor- 
gia, Louisiana, Delaware and \'irginia.* 

David Wilkinson was a mechanic of great 
originalit\- and versatility. When only five 
years old he had such an interest in mechanics 
that his father set him up on a bench where he 
could see Eleazer Smith make a machine to 
manufacture card teeth for Daniel Anthony of 
Providence Before he was twenty years old he 
assisted Daniel Anthon\- and his sons in the 
construction and care of the unsuccessful .spin- 
ning frame which afterwards came into Moses 
Brown's po.ssession, and which vSlater found 
when he arrived at Pawtucket. When only 
fifteen years old he went with his father to the 
Hope F'urnace, and in the course of a month 
moulded three or four paper mill screws, a task 
which none of the moulders there would under- 
take. Before he reached his majority- he, with 
the assistance of another gifted mechanic, 
Elisha Ormsbee, fitted up a twelve-ton boat, 
operated it by a steam engine and made a trip 
on the Seekonk river between Pawtucket and 
Providence. After their "frolic," as this ex- 
cursion appeared to the two young ])rojectors, 
the boat was beached and allowed to decay. 
Daniel French, from whom subsequently it is 
said Robert F'ulton obtained his ideas and the 
first draft for his steamboat, came to Pawtucket, 



♦David Wilkinson's Reminiscences, North Provi- 
dence Centennial, pp. ,So-4. 



DAVID \VII.KINvSON. 



87 





.^i^- 




^^^^^X,. 





D. W. ASHTON, 

and l)y careful inquiry drew from young Wil- 
kinson the plans and ideas on which this steam- 
boat was designed, and this information was 
without doubt an important aid in the construct- 
ion of the first successful steamboat.* 

About 1794 David Wilkinson in\-ented the 
gauge or sliding lathe, one of the most valuable 
mechanical contrivances e\'er produced. He 
had previ(iusl\' applied the same principle in 
making the large screws for oil pre.sses and 
fidling mills in his father's shops, but when 
constructing Slater's machinery "the owners 
were unwilling " that he should turn the rollers 
by such a jirocess, so the work had to be done 
.Ijy hand ])ower with hand tools. t In ijg.S he 
obtained a patent for this invention, but, on 
account of the backward condition of machinery 
manufacture at that time, the only money he 
made out of it was ten dollars which Richard 



.\nthonj' paid him for the use of the patterns. 
In recognition of the great utility of this inven- 
tion the United States Congress in August, 1848, 
voted him $10,000. Soon after the Scotch 
power-loom was introduced into this country in 
1.S17 by William Gilmour at Judge Lyman's 
mill at Lymansville, North Providence, David 
Wilkinson began the manufacture of these 
machines. He is said to have aided Gilmour 
materially in getting his first loom in operation. 
David Wilkin.son may ju.stly be said to have 
lieen the pioneer cotton machinery builder in 
America in a .special and distinct sense. He was, 
however, a man of enterprise in other directions. 
He built the Iinion block, which stood at the 
corner of Pleasant and Main streets, and the 
Dorrance building which is still standing, corner 
Main and North Main streets, and his ventures 
in manufacturing, both in Pawtucket and else- 
where, were many and varied. In i,S29 he and 
his brothers failed in business as a result of the 
financial panic, and he soon afterwards removed 
to Cohoes, N. v., where he again engaged in 



*D. Wilkinson's Reminiscences, North Providence 
Centennial, p. 79. 

tD. Wilkinson's Reniiniscences, North Providence 
Centennial, pp. 77, 8:2. 




ALBERT R. SHERMAN, 

NATOn FROM PAWTUCKET 1889- 



ILLUSTRATI':D history of TAWTUCKI'T. 



making cotton machinery, but e\entiiall\' gave 
his time chiefly to constructing- l:)ridges and 
canals in tlie West. He was born Jan. 5, 1771, 
and died Kel). 3, 1852, at Caledonia .Springs, 
Prescott count\', Canada West. 

The two oldest sons of 0/iel Wilkinson 
were .Vbraham and Isaac, twins, who were born 




DAVID LeFAVOUR 



October 10, 1768. They formed a partnership 
in 1790, carried on their father's iron business 
after hi,s death in 1815, conducted furnaces in 
Pawtucket, Providence and Fall River, started 
and operated cotton mills at Valley Falls and 
Albion, R. I., and were associated with their 
brother David in manv of his undertakings. 



The partnership was dissolved at the time of the 
failure in 1829, and the brothers were never 
thereafter active in business, but (leorge, the 
son of Abraham, carried on some of the shops 
and mills for a number of years. 

Sylvanus Brown, who made the ]iatterns for 
vSlater, was a mechanic of unusual skill. He is 
said to have invented a machine for 
turning rollers and one for fluting them, 
as well as other contrivances for building 
machiner\'. His son, James S. Brown, 
established the large machine shop on 
Main and Pine streets, which is at 
[•resent conducted b\- his grandson, the 
Hon. James Brown, second mayor of the 
cit\- of Pawtucket. 

Although Moses Brown ne\er lived 
in Pawtucket he contributed \-ery largely 
to its industrial development. He fur- 
nished the capital for the continuation 
of the first experiments in cotton spinning 
and for .Slater's undertaking. B>- his 
jiersonal exertion and foresight he was 
the chief means of originating the cotton 
industry at Pawtucket, and the members 
of the original firm l)elonged to his 
family. In many respects he was a 
remarkable nian. He was one of the 
four Brown brothers who were jirominent 
merchants in Providence liefore and after 
the re\oIution, and some of whose de- 
scendants form the great manufacturing 
firm of Brown & Ives, which has continued 
the life of the old mercantile house in 
an unliroken line until the present. Moses, who 
was liorn in 1738, retired from the firm in 1773, 
and interested himself in study, philanthropy, 
education and social and industrial progress. 
He became a member of the Society of Friends 
before the re\olution, freed his slaves in 1773, 
assisted in establishing schools for the chil- 



BEGINNINGS OK M A C II I N K R V M A N U FA CT T K !• . 



89 




ROBERT CROSSLEY, 

dreii in the factories, and was greatly con- 
cerned as to the moral effect of the factory 
s\stena on the work people. He was also the 
fonnder of the Friends' School of Pro\idence. 
He died Sept. 6, 1836. Without being directly 
engaged in cotton spinning, he did more for its 
successful establishment than any man except 
.Samuel Slater. 

The influence of the jieriod brought forth 
other mechanics. About i.Si,^ Larned Pitcher 
started a machine shoj> on the west side of the 
river. Soon after he formed a partnership with 
P. Hovey and Asa Arnold, and they moved into 
the basement of the Stone mill and then into the 
Yellow mill on the east side. Ira {^ia\" was 
admitted a partner in 1S19, when the firm 
became Pitcher & Gay. 

Asa Arnold invented the differential motion 
for speeders and a machine for .separating wool, 
and Ira Gay invented a dres.ser and a speeder. 
James S. Brown, the son of SA'lvanus, suc- 
ceeded Mr. Gay in the firm in 1S24, which 
then became Pitcher ^: Brown. John Thorpe, 



a Pawtucket mecluuiic, invented a jjower loom 
in i.Si4.-' 

During this time, ulien other mechanics 
were making such notable advances, the Jenks 
family were not idle. The great fre.shet of 1S07 
had carried away nearh- all their shojis on the 
" forge lot," which extended from the bridge to 
Jenks ax'enne and then south along the river to 
tile mouth of Sargeant's trench : but new struct- 
ures were at once erected. The forge shop was 
rebuilt by F)leazer Jenks, and his sons, Stephen 
and Eleazer, Jr. Moses Jenks and others rebuilt 
tlie .grist mill, which was replaced b\- a flour 
mill in iSTiv Tlie two sons of Moses Jenks, 
Pardon and Jabe/., erected a building for 
carding cotton and wool. In tlie basement of 
this structure a fulling mill and the manufacture 
of snuff were carried on.t The forge shops and 
the gri.st mill were in the rear of the lot. back 
from the street and reached bv the Pane. Mule 




HIRAM A. BRIGGS, 
UFACTURER OF COTTON SPECIALTIES. 



•Historical Sketch of Pawtucket. p]-. lU. C'l. iili. 
tHistorical Sketch of I'awtiu-ket. pp. til. liL'. 



go 



ILLUvSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



spindles were made and heavy forging done in the basement of 
the forge shop by a trij) hammer. On the first floor, Stephen 
Jenks had a machine of his own invention for cntting large 
spikes, and some time later, probably soon after 1810, he started 
a cotton picker, the first in the neighborhood. Prior to 1813, 
Otis and Benjamin Walcott had a machine .shop on the .second 
floor of this structnre. Eleazer Jenks, in iSi;,, Iniilt a machine 
shop extending from the mill lot at the bridge to the clothier 
.shop on the corner of Jenks lane, ami reaching back to the 
forge shop. This was soon after hired by David Wilkinson and 
occupied b\ him until his failure in 1829. About 1813 a mill 
was built on the site of the old clothier's shop on the southwest 
abutment of the bridge, by 
Pardon and I{benezer Jenks, 
and was occupied by Major 
Ebenezer Jenks as a spinning 
mill. 

Cotton s]iinning in this man- 
ner contributed to the general 
extension of industry in Paw- 
tucket, while the older influ- 
ence of the manufacture of 
iron yet continued potent. 
The former, by the demand 
for machinery and supplies it 






GEO. W. COKELY, 

i CARPENTER CO.'S BICYCLE OEPT., PROVIC 



W. H. DAWSON 

DEALER IN BICYCLES AND SPORTING GOODS. 

made on the mechanics, 
stimulated invention and 
paved the way for the diver- 
sification of industry which 
has become so marked a char- 
acteristic of Pawtucket. 

A centennial celebration of 
the introduction of cotton 
spinning bj' Samuel .Slater 
was held at Pawtucket, under 
the auspices of the city gov- 
ernment during the week be- 
oEALER IN BicvcLEs. glunlng Scpt . 2 8 , 1 890 . Thcrc 

were Sunday school, military, 
.society and firemen's parades ; banquets were numerous ; ora- 
tions were delivered ; public buildings and private residences 
were decorated ; the city put on a gala appearance, and the 
inhabitants gave themselves up to fea.sting, jollity and cele- 
Ijrating. One of the chief features was an industrial exposi- 
tion, where some of Slater's first machinery was exhibited ; 
modern cotton machinery of the mo.st recent design was also on 
view, and the contrast lietween the first and the last manifested 
the great advance that had been made in the manufacture. 
During the week many \-isitors came to Pawtucket, and the 
fame of the city was spread abroatl as it never had been 
before. 



HENRY L. SPENCER 







jixy 



Edilor of the Pawtucket Gaiettc and Chronicle 



CHAPTER VII. 



THK FACTORY SYSTEM — ASPECTS OF AND CHANGES IN SOCIAL CONDITIONS. 



THE first cotton mills, as compared with 
present-ilay structures, were insignificant 
affairs. Indeed, many single mills now 
contain more .spindles and produce a va.stly 
larger product than did all the mills in New 
England previous to 1812. The original fac- 
tories were only spinning mills, and furnished 
the yarn for hand-loom weavers, who wo\'e the 
cloth either in their own dwellings or in small 
shops containing several looms. 

Before the coming of Samuel vSlater, in e\ery 
farmhouse or village dwelling there was one or 
more spinning-wheels, and many families had 
also a hand-loom. These contrivances were 
then as essential as the sewing machine is in a 
modern home. Carding and spinning were 
chiefly done by the women of each household, 
who thus prepared the cotton, woolen or linen 
yarn for the wea\-ers. The majorit\- of the 
weavers were women,* Init nuui\' of them were 
men, chiefly immigrants from Scotland and Ire- 
laud, who had acquired dexterity at this occu- 
pation. Tlie cotton spinning mills, 1>\- ])ro\'iiling 
a large suppl}- of good yarn, operated in an 
ever-increasing degree to call into existence a 
class of such expert weavers. 

After coming from the weavers, the cloth 
was finished in the fulling nulls or clothiers' 
shops, located where water-power could be had 



and space secured for the outdoor operations of 
tentering and bleaching. At Pawtucket from 
the earliest period these fulling mills existed, 
and from them woolen factories were gradu- 
ally developed, as the spinning machinery 
was adjusted and adapted to the manipulation 
of the wool fibre. Manj- of the earl}- spinning- 
mill owners, following the example of Almy, 
Brown & Slater,* emplo)-ed hand-loom weavers, 
supplying them with yarn and taking all the 
cloth the\- could produce, which the mill owners 
fulled and dyed, calendered and bleached, ac- 
cordingly as it was cotton, wool, linen or mixed 
fabric. Samuel Slater, by following out and 
extending these forms of industry, and making 
use of improvements as they came forward, 
became, in his mills at Webster, Mass., one of 
of the earliest woolen manufacturers in the 
country. 

\\'ea\ing, however, was not the only oper- 
ation connected with the manufacture that had 
to be ilone outside the spinning mills. Although 
the cottt)n gin, invented b\' Eli Whitney the 
same year that Slater and his partners started 
the old mill, cleaned the cotton of seeds and 
rough materials, and from the standpoint of the 
planter and merchant matle it a merchantable 
]irodnct, still, from the standiioint of the manu- 
facturer, the .staple required more careful cleans- 



•Historical Sketcli of Pawtucket, p. (a. 



♦\Vhite's Memoir of S. Slater, pp. G:'), (57, 85. 



92 



ILLUSTRATKD HISTORY OF PAWTT'CKKT. 




NARRAGANSETT MACHINE CO., WOODLAWN. 



ing. Tliis was accoiiiplislK-d in tliL- (l\\x-lliii,i;s <il 
some ot the poorer people, where the cotton was 
" stretched on a frame about three feet square, 
and the motes and specks picked out l)y Iiand." ' 
In the year 1809 more than tour lunuh'ed 
families were thus employed in the entire state 
of Rhode Island a large part of the year and 
received for their work over $20,ooo.t 

This condition of affairs continued until 
between 1810 and 1S20, durin^^ which period 
the met-hanical cotton-])icker and the power- 
loom came into use and gra(luall\' supplanted 
the domestic s\stem of production. The cotton- 
spinning mills were, however, the starting points 
of the modern factor}- system, and first brought 

♦White'.s Memoir of S. Slater, p. lOfi. 
tllislorical SkrU-li of T'awtucket, p. (ill. 



together considerable nnml)ers of people under 
one roof. The concentration of these factories 
at Pawtucket made it the original cotton factor\- 
town in America, while in the homes of the 
people of the villages, on both sides of the river 
and in the surrounding country, the domestic 
system of jiroduction was also in a greater degree 
of acti\it\- b\- means of weaving and cotton- 
picking than it ever had lieen before or has 
been since. 

On account of ha\'ing so much work ])er- 
formed in pri\-ate houses, the early mill owners 
were obliged to become retail traders as well as 
manufacturers. Monej- was scarce even when 
capital was abundant, and the proprietors were 
frequeuth' obliged to pa>' their help in due bills. 
But it was soon found more con\'enient and 
profitable for all concerned to have the em- 



bkc.inninCt of thk factory system 



93 



r 




plovers furnish groceries, clothing, rum. and 
e\-erythinj^ else essential, in exchange for the 
products or ser\'ices of the weavers, cotton 
pickers, and factory workers. As a warerooni 
was necessary in any event to transact business 
with the outside workers, it became eas)- and 
natural to transform it into a store. Probably 
soon after starting the old mill, Almy, Brown 
& Slater had such a store. The three-story 
brick building between the old mill and the 
.stone mill was built by the firm about 1810, 
and was the mill store for many years. Capt. 
N. G. B. Dexter was for a score of years its 
manager. 

This s\stem of "corporation stores" has 
endured until the present in isolated factorx' 
villages or in places owned exclusively by 
single indi\-iduals, firms, or corporations ; 1)ut 
with the dwindling of the domestic sy.stem of 
])roduction and the diversification of industry it 
has been long outgrown in the centres of industry. 

The earl\- manufacturers found it dilTicnlt 
to secure workers to operate their machines. 



For this reason many of the first mills were 
located on small .streams in farming neighbor- 
hoods so as to be accessible to the rural popu- 
lation, and frequently the mill owners in the 
larger places like Pawtucket had to send out 
their overseers to engage the farmers' sons and 
daughters to come to work in the factories. 
The wages paid to these first operatives ranged 
from So cents to $1.50 per week. * 

The .state of society that resulted at Paw- 
tucket from the partial introduction of the fac- 
tory sxstem at the beginning of the century, 
was at first a source of great anxiety to pious 
and respectable citizens. Many of the persons 
Ijrought together by the exigencies of the new 
industry were separated from their home ties 
and such restraints as thereby had previously 
held them in check. They were forced into 
associations with each other, both in the factory 
and in the intervals of labor, and naturall\' 
sought social pleasure in each other's company. 




ISAAC SHOVE, 
JUDGE OF THE DISTRICtIcOUR 



"^Remiuisceuces of Horatio N. Slater, 1SS4. 



94 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 




RESIDENCE OF HEMRY A. STEARNS, 

No forms of public entertainment existed : there 
was no place of common resort but the tavern : 
and the prayer meetings at the homes or 
churches, while ministering to the wants of the 
few, afforded no adequate outlet for the legiti- 
mate longings and aspirations of the man\'. 
I'nder these circumstances, it was not at all 
strange that, to begin with, the wilder, more 
active, genial and convivial spirits, and in ex- 
ceptional instances tlie vicious characters, took 
the lead, and the factory workers thereby 
acquired a reputation for rough, rude and 
boisterous behavior, for drunkenness and de- 
bauchery, which was not wholly warranted by 
the facts. 

These allegations were, however, partially 
true ; but in place of proving that the people 
were altogether evil, such outbreaks onl\- dem- 
onstrated that even long hours of labor, and in 
many instances unhealthy and degrading sur- 
roundings were not able to depress the vitality- 
or suppress the abounding and virile energy of 



the common people. These de- 
fects of character, as they 
.sometimes appeared to be, were 
frequenth' the manife.station of 
those qualities which with more 
experience of life eventually 
made their possessors ener- 
getic, enterprising and resource- 
ful citizens. 

Re\'. Dr. Da^•itl Henedict, 
writing of social conditions in 
l^iwtucket at the lieginning of 
the century, says: "The state 
of society in this then small 
village, was, as a general thing, 
far from being desirable. The 
cotton mill business had brought 
in a large influx of people who 
came in the second t/ass cars. 
Such was the jirejiulice against the business that 
but few others could be had, and the highways 
and hedges had to be searched even for them. A 
body of loafers was on hand before, [the factory 
people came] who were, Ijy turns, inmates of 
the tippling shops and poorhouse, and not 
unfrequentlx' founil in the gutter. There was 
a set of old and .staid inhabitants of a \-er\' 
respectable class, who had made up their minds 
to live here the best wa\- they could. I'.ut when 
strangers came here who hail been accustomed 
to a good state of society, they made loud com- 
plaints, and their censures were frequent and 
free. Baiig-aU, Hard-scrabble, Bung-town, Pilfer- 
sliirc, etc., were with them appropi'iate epithets 
for the place. In process of time this state of 
things was succeeded by one very nuich im- 
proved. The roughest factory people had dis- 
appeared, aiul a better class had taken their 
place."* The roughest people had not actually 



'Benedict's Reiiiinisceuces, No. 'I'i. 




EDWARD A. GREENE, 

GREENE 4 DANIELS MANUFACTURING CO. 



SOCIAI, KLK\'ATI()N OF THE FACTORY PKOPLE. 



95 



" disappeared." They had nierel)beeii changed, 
subdued, iiietainorphosed, converted, disciplined 
bv the order and system of the new industrial 
era into more rational and quieter human beings. 
As industry developed and the factorj' sj-s- 
tem more and more prevailed, continuous employ- 
ment and the friction of constant association grad- 
ually transformed the factory workers. This was 
not onh" true of Pawtucket, but of factor}- com- 
munities generallj'. ' ' From remote and .secluded 
parts of the country many people were attracted to 
the manufacturing villages by the employments, 
comforts, and conveniences which they afforded. 
Hundreds of families, originall\- from places 
where the general poverty had precluded schools 
and public worship, brought up illiterate and 
without religious instrviction, and disorderly and 
vicious in consequence of their lack of regular 
employment, have been transplanted to these 
new creations of skill and enterprise : ami by the 
ameliorating effect of study, industry and 
instruction, have been reclaimed, civilized. 
Christianised. Not a few of them ha\-e accumu- 





GEORGE H. WEBB, 

lated and saved, by close application and moder- 
ate economv, \'ery handsome estates. Indeed, 
such have been the blessed results of concen- 
trating and giving employment to a population 
formerly considered almost useless to the com- 
munit}-, that there is among our manufacturing 
population at this moment [1830] a greater num- 
ber of males of from twent)' to thirty years old, 
who are worth from $300 to $1000 each, and of 
marriageable females worth from $100 to $800 
each, than can be found in any population out 
of the manufacturing villages."* This was 
written in the early '30s b\- a man who had 
studied the situation thoroughl\-, and is excel- 
lent and accurate testimony. 

With the increase in indu.stry that followed 
the introduction of the power-loom, especially 
in the decade from 1820 to 1830, the different 
elements in the social structure of Pawtucket 
l)egan to find their le\el, and societ\- became 
more harmonious and tranc|uil. The bringing 



•White's Memoir of S. SlaU-r, p. IDS. 



06 



ILLl'STRATKD HKSTORV OF PAWTUCKKT. 



together, however, of ii large luimber of people from iimny 
places, some of whom had recei\-e(l little education, while the 
majority had been lirought up under other and simpler influ- 
ences than prevailed in Pautucket, produced an intellectual 
ferment, a search after new ojiinions and "strange gods" that 
shocked the staid and respectable jieople. Old creeds ceased 
to ha\e the authority the\- once had, and a multitude of new 
religious .sects arose. " Reforms " of various sorts began to be 
proposed, both in regard to social autl indu.strial conditions. 
This commotion alarmed many of the clergymen anil other 
conservative citizens. Its innnediate effect was to break up old 
friendshijis and companionships : but new alignments soon fol- 
lowed. As after events showed, this social unrest was onl\' a 
manifestation of growth, and 
was a far more healthful sign 
than a slavish submission to 
old customs and traditions 
would have been. The busi- 
ness failures of 1829 somewhat 
interfered with this process 
of social change, but only 
temporarih'. Then, too, on 
the side of family life the 
influence of the old families 
who had possessed the land 
for generations was on the 





N C. FISHER, 



wane. 

coming 




N e w p e o p 1 e were 
forward. The out- 
come in all lines was the 
result of all these varied in- 
fluences acting and reacting 
on each other. 

There were many hard con- 
ditions connecteil with the 
factory system. The hours 
of labor were long, the mills 
poorly ventilated, the sani- 
tar\- conveniences either en- 

JubtPH W. MILLER 

PBOP. MiLiER BLOCK, tlrcly lackiug or very inade- 

quate. Only the fact that 
the first mills were so small, and that the rigid discipline and 
close a])])lication, which afterward became necessary, did not 
exist, jireventetl these conditions from becoming gross evils. 
As it was, the work people .soon began to demand better sur- 
roundings, and the quality of the acconnnodations for the help 
kept pace, in a measure, with the increase in the size of the 
mills. 

The poverty, \outh, and separation from their friends of 
many of the factory workers placed them at such a disadvan- 
tage that petty tyranny and oppression became possible to a 
large extent. "In too manv cases the manufacturers had 



ARTHUR T. STRATTON 
SECRETARY Y.M.C.A. 



IMPROVEMENTS IN FACTORY CONDITION vS. 



97 



lost sight of the human being whti operated 
their machines, and often mistook injustice 
and cruehy for order and discipline."* 
Such evils never became so intense in this 
country as in England, where in some localities 
they reached a degree of horror, frightful in the 
extreme, and which seem impossible of belief 
were the facts not substantiated by un- 
assailable evidence. In New England 
the scarcit>- of pojnilation, the ease with 
which people could turn to other occu- 
pations, the greater political freedom 
existing, and all the advantages of a 
new country, counteracted and nullified 
the.se tendencies to a very large extent. 
Efforts were made in Pawtucket to 
remedy some of these disadvantages 
within a very few years after the factory 
system came into being. Public opinion 
had some effect, but the refusal of the 
workers them.selves to endure oppres- 
sion, their resistance to petty tyranny' 
and objections to many of the evils that 
afflicted them, were the most potent 
means of bettering their conditions. 
The bidding between employers for the 
most skilled workers gave the em- 
ployees an opportunity to discriminate 
against the mills where the worst state 
of affairs existed. With such rapidity 
did the cotton industry- grow, esjieci- 
ally after the advent of the power- 
loom, that the demand for workers 
was greater than the supjily. The 
employees, in many cases not having 
permanent attachments to any factory localitx', 
were easily induced to move. A very large 
proportion of them thus became industrial 
nomads. The facilitv with which thev could go 



from jijace to ]ilace, or from factory to factorw 
and obtain work, nurtured a spirit of independ- 
ence that caused theni to resist injustice, made 
them at times unreasonable in their demands, 
and prom])ted them to agitate for better con- 
ditions. 

The high minded, conscientious and ilecent 




GEORGE E. NEWELL, 



emplo\ers under these circumstances treated 
their people with respect and consideration,* 
and those who were disposed to act differently 
were compelled by force of circumstances to fall 



'History of Woonsocket.'pp. 171-2 



•White's Memoir of Slater, pp. 125-133. 



98 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY Oh' LAW" T U C K F.T. 



intf) line. Tlit- result was to create in New 
Iui.t;lan(l a species ol industrial denioorac)' 
(Inrinji; the middle \ears of the century that has 
had no parallel elsewhere. Here the people and 
their eniplo\ers fraterni/.ed. The two classes 
merged into each other in a greater degree than 
either before or since, and out of the ranks of 
the factory people came the niannfacturers, 
merchants, inventors, men ul affairs and of the 
professions. With the great development within 
the last half century these conditions have again 
changed, as a result of the growth of large 
factories and the concentration of capital, but 




THE TO KALON CLUB-HOUSE. 

the effect of this scimewhat id^dlic state of affairs 
still continues. 

In iS;,<i-i about two-fifths of the persons 
employed in the factories were children between 
the ages of 7 and 16 years. The hours of labor 
in Pawtucket, and other places in Rhode Island, 
were from sunrise, or " as earl\- as the help can 
see to work," until eight o'clock at night, and 
one hour in the day was allowed for meals. 
These iKuirs, too, were measured by f(r(/on' 
tinit\ which was twenty-fi\-e minutes bclii)id true 
solar lii)u\ The mills started by solar time Init 



stopjied b\' factory time. In rS^i, at I'awtucket, 
some reform was effected in this matter, as it is 
related, "public o|iinion has had the effect to 
reduce the /(?(/()/ r ///;/r to the line so/iir liiiic." 
The working hours were thus between thirteen 
and fourteen daily, and young children and 
women were compelled to endure this long 
ordeal. At the same jieriod the opportunities 
for education were very limited, and many 
employers objected to the withdrawing of child- 
ren from the mills to send them to school, and 
families were sometimes discharged on this 
account.*' 

An agitation arose ha\'ing for its oliject the 
correcting of the abiLses under which the factory 
people labored, and some of the citizens of Paw- 
tucket were active and ])rominent in this move- 
ment. A meeting of workiugmen was held at 
Pro\'ideuce, Dec. 5, 1S31, at which delegates 
were present from many factory towns, and a 
con\-ention was then called which assembled 
at the Marlboro hotel in Boston, P'eb. i6, 1.S32. 
This convention remained in session two days, 
and perfected the organization of the "New 
England Association of Farmers, Mechanics 
and other Workiugmen." The delegates from 
North Providence, R. I., and Pawtucket, Mass., 
were Henry Earl, Jacob Frieze and Alanson 
Pitcher. Mr. Frieze was a member of the com- 
mittee on preamble and constitution, and also 
of the conunittee on the education of children. 
In all there were se\-enty-six delegates, and all 
the important factory towns and villages in 
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and 
New Ham])shire were represented. The dis- 
cussions were temperate, and, iudgiug from 
the reports of the jiroceedings in existence, dis- 

*I'rocee(lings of tliL- New Knjflaiid Association of 
I''ariners, Mechanics, ami other Workiugmen, 18^1 ; 
republished in Official Handbook of the Rhode Island 
District .Vssenddy !i!). Knights of Labor, 1S<I4, p. 44. 



LABOR AC, ITATION IN 183 1-2. 



99 




BELA P. CLAPP, 

MMONIA MANUFACTURER. 



placed imich intelligence and wisdom. Some 
of the delegates seem to have been fanners, 
who were then vitally interested in factory 
matters as man\- of the \(iuni; ])eo]ile employed 
in the mills were their children. The action 
of the con\-ention, its resolntions and published 
papers, compare favorably with similar pro- 
ceedings of labor organizations of the present 
da>'. It ap])ears that at that time a labor paper 
was imblished at Pawtucket. R. I. It was 
known as "The New luigland Artisan and 
Laboring Man's Repository," and had been 
started b\' the Providence convention of Dec. 
5, 1S31. Probably, like similar enterprises since 
then, it was short-lived, as no further record of 
it can be found. Thus early did labor agita- 
tion de\elop in Pawtucket, and was undoubt- 
edly one of the influences making lor impro\'ed 
social and industrial conditions. 

A portion of the report of the connnittee 
on education to this early labor con\-ention is 
worthy of quotation; "The opportunities al- 



lowed to children and >()uth em])lo\ed in 
manufactories to obtain an education suitable 
to the character of American freemen, and the 
wives and mothers of such, are altogether in- 
adequate to the purpose : That the evils com- 
plained of are unjust and cruel ; and are no 
less than the sacrifice of the dearest interests 
of the thousands of the rising generation of 
our country to the cupidit>' and avarice of 
their em])loyers. And the\- can see no other 
result in prospect, as likel\- to eventuate frf)m 
such practices, than generation on generation, 
reared up in profound ignorance and the final 
prcstration of their liberties at the shrine of a 
powerful aristocracy." The resolutions which 
followed were in favor of factory legislation 
and a ten-hour working day, and condemned 
imprisonment for debt. Thomas Doyle, of 
Providence, the father of the Hon. Thomas 
A. Doyle, the well-known mayor of the city 
of Providence for ,so man\' \ears, was elected 
corresponding secretary of this association. 




JOHN J. KENYON, 

ACTURER OF TAPES AND BRAIDS. 



ILLTJSTRATKD HISTORY OF PAWTTTCKET. 



Man\- of llif relonus asked for 1)\- these 
early a;j;ilators have long ago been secured. 
The o])portunit3- of education has been \ery 
largely placed within reach of every child ; 
the hours of labor have been lessened to ten per 
day, and less in many instances ; the sanitarx- 
conditions of factories, shops and homes have 
also been immensel\- improved. Much of this 
progress has been due to the persi.stent efforts of 
these unknown men who strove sturdily for 
better thing.s, and much is also due to the 
inevitable trend of events which compelled 
changes that have turned out to be " reforms." 
From tliis standpoint the outlook for the future 
is bright. 

Under the old domestic sy.stem the hand- 
loom weavers and the cotton pickers worked as 
long hours in their homes as they saw fit. 
Squalor, wretchedness and illiteracy were inci- 
dental in such an environment, and the>' existed 
in a marked degree ; but because sucli a small 
fraction of the then existing population were 
subject to these influences, the evils were not 
noticeably apparent. The modern sur\-ivals of 
the domestic system, the sweaters' dens of the 
great cities, exhiliit the possil)ilities for evil 
which were present in the old form of industry. 
The factory system with all its faults, 1)>' the 
fact that it brought people together, and thereliy 
enabled them by conflict and association to work 
out their differences, has proved a lieneficent 
agency, making for progress and humanit>-. 
The relative rights and duties of people to each 
other have been better defined, the terms of the 
problem stated, or in a way to be stated, and 
preparations therel)y more or less perfected for 
a ju.ster solution of the difficulties, many of 
which have been partially adjusted. 

Ready mone\- was a scarce article in Paw- 
tucket in the early years of the centurw The 
credit system prevailed, and "store pay" was 



the common method of pacing debts and trans- 
acting l)usiness, " Bills of exchange, if we may 
so call them, of the most diminutive size, were 
cnntinuall>" tlrawn on the factory stores and by 
the citizens on each other. The free circulation 
of cash in daily trade was but little known ; 
ever\thing went on to liook, and then into bills. 
Orders on the factory stores, which monopolized 
most of the trade of the place, were readily sold 
at a hea\-y discount for cash in hand." 

Cotton cloth sold at high prices. Alniy, 
Pirown & Slater sold shirting in 1.S12 at from 52 
to 65 cents a yard, and in 1S13 the firm obtained 
$4.26 per >ard for gingham a yard and a half 
wide. All the goods of course at that time were 
woven by hand. Dr. David Benedict then re- 
ceived a salary of $400 per annum, and some of 
his people thought that was too high.* 

The leading manufacturers, more to facili- 
tate their business than to minister to their 
pride, kept during the first quarter of the cen- 
tury wheeled vehicles which thej- and their 
neighbors called by courtesy carriages, but 
which seem to ha\e been in appearance, char- 
acter and history like the "Deacon's One-Ho.ss 
,Sha\'." Among tlujse who were thus provided 
were Oliver vStarkweather, Samuel Slater, the 
Wilkinsons, Ebenezer Tyler, Timothy Greene, 
and others. For years after he had acquired 
large wealth .Sauuiel Slater rotle around in a 
shal)b_\' old one-horse wagon. "Oliver vStark- 
weather's old chai.se had a pink stern, flat top, 
and was very ugly looking, "t Simple manners 
and no ostentation were thus the rule of life 
among the substantial citizens, and for this no 
douh)t the influence of the h'riends was largely' 
responsible. 

The sports of the box'S who worked in the 
first mills were few. Such fun as could be 



'Benedict's Reminiscences, No. 10. 
tBenedict's Reminiscences, No. -0. 



SAM PATCH 



snatched dnritii; workinj; honrs was 
their chief recreation. In tlie suninier, 
swinnning in the river (lnrin<; the ncion 
hour or in the ex'ening- was a great 
source of aniusenient. Some of the 
more venturesome, l)olh men and l)o\s, 
were in tlie liabit of juniping from tlie 
rocks or tlie liridge into the deep pool 
below the falls," and this became a 
popular pastime, as spectators came to 
look on anil applaud, and the vanity of 
the l)oys was thereljy excited. Higher 
and higher junijis were made, but no 
one was hurt. The boldest and most 
daring jumper was vSam Patch, a niule- 
.spinner, who jumjied from the peak of 
the old Yellow mill on the east side. 
Like some of the ' ' sports ' ' of more 
recent times, Sam acquired a decided 
taste fortius dangerous amusement, and 
for the notoriet>' it lirought him. As 
the Pawtucket people had begun to 
object to the jumping it was discon- 
tinued, lint Sam Patch wandered off, 
entered upon his career as a professional 
juniper, and acquired lioth money and 
fame by his new occupation. He 
jumiK-cl into the Niagara river below the falls, and 
made a number of other ver}- high and daring 
lea])s, but finally came to his death in Xoxein- 
ber, 1829, at Rochester, N. Y., where he made 
a jump at the falls on the Genesee river. He 
had jumped at this place before, but on this 
occasion he was under the influence of liquor. 
It is said his body was never recovered. 

Sam Patch is reported to have replied to a 
question as to wh>' he engaged in what appeared 
to be such fooli.sli, dangerous undertakings, tliat 
it was his object to .show that "some things 

*lJeiieifict's Reiuiiiiscenres, No. ]'2. 




JOHN B. READ, 



can be done as well as others." He is thus 
said to have illustrated the " feasibility of all 
things."* 

Mrs. Abigail Patch, the mother of Sam, 
lived with her relatives for man}- years in the 
building known as the old Jones schoolhouse, 
where her grand-daughters taught a school for 
many years. She died in the old house July 
29. i854.t 

The political upheaval in Rhode Island, in 
1S41-2, known as the Dorr war, which was an 



*" Their Wedding Journey," by W. D. Howells, 
pp. \M. 111). 

tGazetle and Chronicle, April, 1879. 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY Ol' PAWTI'CKET. 




HENRY A. WARBURTON, 



frage.* AltliouRh there was a great deal of 
talk, much of it " lireathing threatening and 
slaughter," it is a curious fact that the only 
man killed in the " war" was on Massachusetts 
soil, in the village of Pawtucket, Mass. This 
incident occurred on the evening of June 27, 
1S42, when Alexander Kelb\-, who was standing 
near the end of the bridge, was killed l)y a liall 
from the musket of one of a bodj- of Rhode 
Island troops stationed on the bridge to guard 
the pa.ssage, prevent invasion from Massachu- 
setts, and blow uii the bridge in that event if 
necessary. The troops numbered about 400 at 
one time. They seemed to have fired a number 
of volleys recklessh-, many windows in the 
buildings in range in Pawtucket, Mass., were 
.shattered with the .shot, and a number of per- 
sons narrowly escaped injury.! 



attempt to obtain a more liberal form of govern- 
ment and secure an extension of the suffrage, 
was indirectly brought about through the fac- 
tory .s^'Stem. The intellectual quickening re- 
sulting from the assembling of the people in the 
factory centres precipitated discussions which 
resulted in making apparent to many minds the 
antiquated character of the political institutions 
of the state. Dissatisfaction with things as 
they were consequent!)' increased con.stantly, 
e.specially as the rising industrial forces found 
their political influence altogether nullified b>' 
the landed property and family basis on which 
the jiolitical comnumity rested. The result of 
the contest was a compromise on its face, but in 
effect a sub.stantial victory for the people, and 
culminated in the adoption of the ]iresent state 
constitution in 1S42. 

The owners and managers of the mills were 
generally in fa\'or of the old order of things, 
but the factory people and the mechanics were 
Dorrites, in favor of the extension of the suf- 




HENRY C. McDUFF, 
LUMBER DEALER. 



•Hon. Alexander Meggett, in letter to Gazette and 
Chronicle, May 12, 189(5. 

tLife and Times of Thomas \V. Dorr, pp. 147, 17-111. 



EVOLUTION THROUGH CONFLICT OF IDEAS. 



103 



The factory workers became a distinct class 
in the comnuinit}-. Many of them, coming from 
other places, being thus socially unacquainted 
and having had a different training from the 
townspeople, were compelled to kee]) aloof 
sociall>' and form companionships among them- 
selves. As time passed, through the influence 
chiefly of church fellow.ship, business as.sociation 
and propinquity, some intermarriages occurred 
between the children of the new comers and 
those of the old residents. These alliances were 
not numerous enough to alter the status of the 
factor\- people generally. The majority remained 
a class apart, those who were con.stantly coming 
in supplying the places of others who had be- 
come mechanics, clerks, or had gone into busi- 
ness for themselves, thus graduating into what 
were considered the higher social grades. 
Even to the present these distinctions continue, 
and the mills are still preparatory schools, 
training the lowest class of labor for higher 
things. In them the newe.st immigrants re- 
ceive their industrial education. They who 
"work in the mill" still occupy an inferior 
social position. But the diversification of em- 
]iloyment in Pawtucket has afforded greater 
opportunities than most indu.strial centres to 
aspiring youth, and has tended more to level 
cla.ss distinctions and promote social equality. 

One of the social phenomena of the com- 
munit}- has been a local jealousy and antagon- 
ism between the two sides of the river. The 
Rhode Island people ^vere mo-stlj' mechanics 
from the first, while the Massachusetts folk were 
chiefly farmers. The artisans were not con- 



sidered socialh' as (piite eipial to the farmers. 
Then, too, the antagonism that exi.sted from the 
beginning between the two colonies of Rhode 
Island and Massachusetts found expression fre- 
(juentl}- when the people of the two villages 
came in contact. The freedom of the Rhode 
Islander and his neglect to provide officially 
for the church and school was an offence to his 
Massachusetts neighbor, who on the other hand 
was considered by the former to be too .severe 
and puritanical. These differences were ger- 
minal and their effects have not been altogether 
outgrown. Hut while the>- have operated as a 
means of separation, they have also, by the 
peaceful conflict of ideas they engendered, had a 
potent influence in shaping the character of the 
people. Pawtucket is at bottom a combination 
of the descendants of the Pilgrims and Puritans 
and of the schismatics of Providence Plantations 
with their advanced ideas of freedom of con- 
science and separation of church and .state. 
Her citizens have the right to be proud of both 
sources of influence, but each one will naturalh- 
magnify the one in which his pride centres. 
Here the two tendencies have met and merged 
as nowhere el.se in New England, but the battle 
has been fought out on the industrial plane 
rather than along the old lines. Much of the 
indu.strial versatility of the place is no doubt due 
to the mental quickening resulting from these 
varied and manifold differences ; but a great 
deal of credit must likewise be ascribed to the 
men of many nationalities who have also con- 
tributed of the richness of their inheritance to 
the industrial evolution of Pawtucket. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



THE UTILIZATION OF THE WATER POWER. 



THK water jiower at the falls induced Joseph 
Jenks, Jr., to set up his forsje at Paw- 
tucket. It also attracted Oziel Wilkin- 
son to the place, prompted Moses Brown to 
remove the experimental spinning machinery to 
the falls, and its ahundance satisfied vSanuiel 
Slater that he would have all the force necessary 
to drive his machinery. What a striking coin- 
cidence it is that the first cotton machinery in 
the Ezekiel Carpenter clothier building was 
operated b)- a water wheel located at or near 
the spot where the first .settler originally har- 
nessed the water power ? 

The early settlers, living on their scattered 
farms, and obtaining their livelihood from the 
fields, the woods and the waters, by farming, 
hunting and fishing, saw little advantage to 
themselves in the falls at Pawtucket. Of counse 
they perceived the water power was of use to 
the Jenks family, and incidentally to the coni- 
mutiity to whom they ministered as hewers of 
wood and makers of tools ; but this advantage 
was, in the minds of the majority, more than 
counterbalanced by the fact that the falls pre- 
vented the ascent of the river by fish, on whose 
abundance the inland farmers partly depended 
for their food supply. 

Both Rehoboth and Providence legislated* 
for the preser\'ation of the public fisheries at 



"Chapter 1, p. 19; Chapter 4, p. 51. 



the falls previous to 1700. The Rhode Island 
Assembh- passed general laws* in 17 19 and 
1744, authorizing the towns to take action to 
preserve and improve fishing in the rivers, and 
between these dates and afterwards a number 
of special acts were also passed with the same 
end in view. The oliject of ihis legislation was 
to prevent any diminution of the great supply 
of fish that originally existed, and the means 
sought in each instance was the removal or 
prohibition of obstructions that prevented the 
passage of fish up the rivers. 

To accomplish this object on the Pawtucket 
river a canal was dug in the year 17 14 around 
the falls on the west side, "beginning at the 
river a few rods above the lower dam, and run- 
ning around the west end thereof until it 
emptied into the river aljout ten rods below 
the same dam." The theory has Ijeeu broached 
that this canal followed the channel of an old 
natural water course, which originally furni.slied 
an overflow outlet for the river when in flood. 
The canal became known as " Sargeant's 
trench," but utterly failed in its purpo.se, as 
the fish could find no use for it. 

Evidently, however, the farmers and fisher- 
men were not reconciled to this result, for the 
General Assembly, in October, 1761, on the peti- 
tion of John Dexter, of Cumberland, and others, 

*R. I. Col. Rec, vol. 4, pp. 1263, 511. 




EDWARD L. FREEMAN 

STATE RAILROAD COMMISSIONER AND SENATOR FROM CENTRAL FALLS. 



THE FIRST DAMvS AT THE FALL.S. 



105 



passed an act authorizing Haiilston Bra>toii, 
John Dexter, David Whipple, Daniel Mowry 
and Stephen Jenks to conduct a lottery and 
raise /,' 1,500 old tenor, for the purpose of 
making a passage through the falls for fish. 
The preamble of this act states ' ' that some 
trials had lately been made to break down the 
falls." The expense of completing the work, 
figured on this preliminary experience, was 
estimated at ^1,000. The surplus of ;^^500 was 
directed to be expended on the bridge. The 
lottery apparently did not materialize. The 
next step was an act passed b}- the legislature 
in January, 1773, "making it lawful to break 
down and blow up the rocks at Pawtucket falls, 
to let fish pass up." Attempts to carry out this 
act seem to have been made, but the opposition 
and influence of the mill owners probably pre- 
vented any serious harm to the falls or the 
dams. To obviate further trouble, the (rcneral 
A.ssembly, in June of the next year, appointed 
Stephen Hopkins, Darius Sessions and Moses 





R. A. BARBOUR, 
SUPERINTENDENT DEXTER YARN CO. 

Brown, a committee, "to see the said act trul\- 
executed, and that no rocks lie blown up but 
by their direction or permission."* It is need- 
less to say that the committee did not authorize 
anyone to proceed with the work of destruction. 
This episode marks the turning point in the 
rising importance of manufacturing as compared 
with fishing and agriculture, which up to that 
time had been dominant. For a long time the 
increasing use of the water power had been a 
good index of this approaching consummation. 
The forges on the we.st and the saw and grist 
mills on the ea.st side, obtained their power from 
the lower dam, which was constructed as early 
as 171S. Prexious to that time there was a dam 
on the west side extentling three-fourths of the 
wa\' across the river, and the beginning ot this 
structure had uiuloubtedlx- been constructed by 
the first settler. On the east side was another 
partial dam, probably first usetl for the grist mill 



GEN. WILLIAM R. WALKER, 

ARCHITECT. 



pp. ■2--2. -4S. 



io6 



ILLUSTRATI'I) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT. 




p. J MURRAY, 

of the Smith's. These two 
primitive dams were superseded 
by the lower datii, in which the 
rocks of the falls were made use 
of as part of the structure. The 
upper dam was l)uilt about 179.1, 
a .short distance above the head 
of Sargeanl's trench, and was 
designed to furnish jiower for 
the ■• Old Slater Mill." 

When the fact was patent 





that the fish would not " run" 
up vSargeant's trench, it was 
converted into a mill stream. 
About i7,v> it was dannned up 
and an anclmr shop built o\-er 
it, and between that period and 
1790 another dam was built, and 
several other shojis and mills 
obtained their power from its 
waters. In 1796 the establish- 
ments on the trench were : on 
the upper dam, an anchor shop 
and a fuUinu mill; on the lower 




GEORGE SMALES, 
UILDER AND SCREEN MANUt 



FftAilK VV. WESTCOTT, 

clam, ;in anclinr shoji and a 
liark mill. The upper anchor 
mill belonged to Oziel Wilkin- 
son. .\bout 1797 it was taken 
d(i\vn and a new simp erected 
lnrt>' feet farther down the 
trench, on the site now occu- 
pieil b\- the ra>ne iK: Ta\l<ir 
factory- , the pond was enlarged 
and the water lhereb>- increased. 
The adjoining fulling mill was 
converted into a machine shop, 




JOHN EVANS, 

and an oil mill was also started 
on the same ]1ri^•ilege. These 
euterpri.ses untloubtedly all be- 
longed to the Wilkinsons. The 
original u]i]ier anchor .shop, if 
it was fort\- feet higher u]i the 
trench, must ha\'e been very 
near the juescut line of Main 
street. When the trench was 
repaired in i,'^,S4, an ohl flood- 
gate was found in excavating 




JOHN H. /;/ASSMAR, 

DEALER IN TEA AND COFFEE. 



THE "GREAT FLOOD." 




EDWARD E. Fn Z, 

Oil Main street, which corroljorates the idea 
that the ujiper (huii on the trench was 
about where the street is now.' Tlie road- 
way must have been originalls' further south 
than at present, as the bridge at first 
crossed the ri\er from lietween the forge 
and grist mill, with "Fishing Rock" for its 
central pier. While these early industries were 
developing, the street was at this point from 
twelve to fifteen feet below its present Ie\-el, 
and crossed the Little river, as .Sargeant's trench 
was sometimes called, by a bridge, some of the 
timbers of which were unearthed when the ex- 
cavations mentioned were made. 

The lower anchor shop was the ])ropert\' of 
the Jenkses, and remained unchanged for iiian\- 
years. It stood Vietween the month of the 
trench and the main ri\er. On the other side 
of the trench was Tiiiiotli\- Oreene's bark mill. 
afterward converted into cotton mills and oper- 
ated both bv Timothy Greene and his .sons. 



These small water ])rivileges on the trench, 
originally developed to their full capacity by 
the Wilkinsons and the Greenes, have ever 
since been occupied by a labyrinth of shops 
and factories, and the industries here carried 
on have been of a greatly \aried character, in 
iron, textiles and other lines. The Wilkinsons 
ceased operations here on a large scale after 
their failure in 1829. In 1853 or 1854 George 
Wilkinson, the son of Abraham, sold the prem- 
ises formerly occupied by the up])er anchor 
shop to Payne & Taylor. "* 

February 15, 1807, occurred the "great 
flood " on the Blackstone river, which, while 
it entailed a great deal of immediate loss, 
cleared the ground in the "coal yard" region 
of a number of old structures, and thereby fur- 
nished an opportunity for the erection of better 
edifices. The water rose to such a height that 
it pcnired thiDugh .Sargeant's trench in a large 




LOhtN u. LADD, 
IISSIONER OF PUBLIC WC 



"Benedict's Reminiscences, No. 41. 



•Benedict's Reminiscences, No. 40. 



io8 



ILLUvSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 




SQUIRE ZENAS PHINNEY 

stream, and hollowed out a 

channel down to the bed of 

the ancient water course of 

" Little river." The damage 

was niaiid\- done by this 

auxiliary river. The east 

side escapeil almost wholly, 

but the western end of the 

briilge was carried awa>', and 

fourteen buildings, all <in the 

west bank of the river, A\ere 

destroyed. These structures 

were : the old forge ; the 

lizekiel Carpenter building, 

where Slater began cotton .spinning, but which was at this 

time occupied as a saddler's shop by George Fi.sher and I<uke 

Hitchcock; the clothier's shoj) of Pardon and Jabez Jenks, 

corner of Jenks's lane and Main street ; I^heue/.er Tiffany's 

store, where the office of the Evening Po.st is now located ; 

the cabinet shop of Amos Read, adjoining Tiffany's store; 

Salisbury's fulling mill ; all the shops of the Wilkinsons, 

except their oil mill, and including the extensive anchor and 

screw shops ; Timothy Greene's bark mill ; the Idacksniith 

shops of Benjamin Arnold, Nathan Walker, Cromwell Hill 

and Thomas Spear ; the grist mill of Moses Jenks on the 

river bank ; and a small store belonging to Jerathmeel Jenks. 



No lives were lost, but the dwellings of John Pitcher, 
Stephen and Jerathmeel Jenks were insulated between the 
main river and the torrent sweeping down the trench, and the 
inhabitants were obliged to flee to escape the rising waters. 
The members of the two Jenks families, in which were a 
nund)er of small children and aged peojile, were assisted 
over the trench liy the stalwart men of the village. John 
Pitcher was reluctant to leave his house, but sent his daughter 
and her little son across the bridge. The daughter returned 
after her father, found him on the way o\-er, and they had 
oidy reached the Massachusetts side when a portion of the 
bridge was carried away. Neither of these three dwellings 

were destroyed but were only 
flooded in their lower stories. 
New buildings were immedi- 
ately erected, and as a result 
of the flood the opportunities 
for manufacturing were 
greatl>' inqiroN'etl. 

The enterprise of the Wil- 
kinsons in extending their 
operations and increasing the 
water power of vSargeant's 
trench, aroused the antagon- 
ism of their neighbors, the 
mill owners on the main 




WILLIAM J. BROOKS, 

FOREMAN FOR SQUIRE Z. PHINNE 




JAMES WILSON, 

COLLECTOR AND AUCTtONE 



APPORTIONINQ OF THIC WATF.R POWKR. 



109 



river, who thought that a nuich larger 
proportion of water was flowing into Sargeant's 
trench than the owners of that stream were 
entitled to. Although an agreement had been 
made in regard to the settlement of this diffi- 
cult\- as early as 1796, it was not carried out. 
Finally a law suit resulted, F^benezer Tyler 
and others against Abraham Wilkinson and 
others, the former being the owners of the water 
rights on the lower dam and the latter the 
proprietors of Sargeant's trench. The case was 
begun November, 1826, before Judge Joseph 
Story, associate justice of the United States 
Supreme Court for the Rhode Island District. 
The complainants claimed that the owners 
of Sargeant's trench were only entitled to 
a waste water privilege, but the court 
decided they were entitled to the flow 
they had enjoyed jirevious to 1796. 

A master in chancery, Richard \V. 
Greene, was appointed to investigate 
the matter and report the best method 
of apportioning the water according to 
the right of each part\- as thus set forth 
1)\- the court. He made a report in 1S2S 
to the effect that Sargeant's trench was 
entitled to a flow of 1400 cubic feet per 
minvite when the water in the upper 
pond was up to the top of the dam, and 
this amount was to increase or diminish 
in projiortion to the volume of water in 
the river. The owners of the lower falls 
were entitled to all the flow from the 
upper pond and the mills operated by it, 
except the amount which flowed into the 
trench and subseqnenth' reunited with 
the stream below the lower dam ; the 
waste water from the mills on the upper 
dam was to flow into the lower pond anil 
would therefore be a\ailable for the use 
of the mills at the lower dam. 



In order to determine the correct projiortion 
that each mill on the upper dam was entitled to, 
estimates and experiments were carefully made 
by engineers under the direction of the master. 
.\fter dragging along for years the matter seems 
to have been finally arranged in 1S36. The 
water was divided into sixteen shares, and on 
that basis each owner or firm was permitted to 
have an aperture of a prescribed dimension 
through which the water flowed to the respec- 
ti\-e mill wheels. B\- this means all received 
the proportion to which they were entitled. 

The ownership, proportion of the water, 
and size of the apertures on a depth of twelve 




ROBERT D. MASON, 
£NT OF THE ROBERT D. MASON CO. 



II. LUST RAT K I) HISTORY OF PAW TUCKET. 



inches below the level of the dam was deter- 
mined npon in No\-eniber, 1S35, as follows: 

Almy & Brown, at the old Slater mill, owned 
five-sixteenth of the river, were entitled to a flow 
of 5906 cubic feet jier minute, and to an aper- 
ture 31.25 feet l<m>;- and a foot in depth ; Thomas 
LeFavour and William Field, two and one-half 
sixteenth of the ri\er, 2953 cubic feet flow, and 
an aperture of 15.62 feet; Niles Manchester, 
one-sixteenth and William Field one-half six- 
teenth, were together entitled to a flow of 1771 
cubic feet, and an aperture of 9.37 feet; Niles 
Manchester, Hannah Wilkinson and Daniel 
Wilkinson, one-sixteenth, iiSi cubic feet flow, 
and an ajierture of 6.25 feet. 

The two small privileges last mentioned are 
now consolidated in the Littlefield Manufactur- 
ing Company's mill. The old Stone mill was 
at this period occupied by ImcUI .S: Lel'avour, 
was subsequently known as the LeFavour mill, 
and is now owned by the Pawtucket Gas Co. All 
these mills ol)tained their water from the Slater 





EVERETT P. CARPENTER, 
OF THE E. P. CARPENTER CO. 



- REV. ALEXANDER McGREGOR, 

PASTOR OF THE PAWTUCKGT CONGREGATiON AL CHURCH. 

mill trench, which had supplanted the upper 
part of Sargeant's trench when the U])per dam 
was built. The aperttires led out of this trench, 
which v\ as referred to in the legal proceedings 
as the great flume. At its entl was the opening 
into Sergeant's trench, which was 7.41 feet long, 
to accommodate the flow of 1400 cubic feet per 
minute. Previous to 1836 the water was allowed 
to flow through the trench unobstructed whether 
the mills were running or not. but after that date 
all the owners on the upper dam, as well as the 
proprietors of Sargeant's trench, were obliged to 
maintain gates and shut off the water at night 
and during meal hours. 

The owners on the upper dam on the ea.st 
side at this time were ; the Walcott Mainifac- 
turing Com])an\', who owneil three and one- 
fourth sixteenths, were entitled to a flow of 3839 
cubic feet and to an aperture of 20.31 feet; and 
C.eorge Wilkinson, who owned two and three- 
fourths sixteenths, was entitleil to a flow (jf 3248 
cubic feet and an aperture of 17.18 feet. The 



CONSTRUCTION OF STORAGE RESERVOIRS. 




BLEACHERY AND 



iriE ROBERT D. MASON CO. 



Walcott Manufacturing Company operated the 
old White mill, erected in 1824 on the .site of the 
first mill on the ea.st side. George Wilkinson 
ran the Wilkin.son & Greene mill, erected in 
1813, and which, after many changes, fires, 
additions and alterations, is now the property of 
the Dexter Yarn Co. 

All the details of this litigation do not seem 
to have been settled until 1843, when the mas- 
ter's report was finally accepted and the decree 
of the court confirmed. In a suit by Paul 
Greene, tlie owner of the lower privilege on 
Sargeant's trench, against Charles F. Manches- 
ter, the owner of the upper privilege, tried in 
1856 in the United States Circuit Court, it was 
decided that the lower privilege was entitled to 
all the water flowing into the trench witlnnit 
any more obstruction than had originall\ 



exi.sted, and that no portion of it could be 
diverted by the proprietors of the upper priv- 
ilege into the main river by a .sluice-way, but 
all mu.st flow past the lower privilege and so into 
the river at the mouth of the trench. 

The Blackstone canal, which was opened 
in 1828, and operated for several years there- 
after, was a failure finally as a means of tran.s- 
portation. When it was discontinued the ponds 
and water rights which the jirojectors had se- 
cured as sources of supply, greatly increa.sed 
the water supply of the river. They were not, 
however, sufficient to prevent low water in 
summer. To remedy this, .some of the owners 
of water privileges contributed to the expen.se 
of a storage reservoir, built l)y Paul Wliitin & 
Sons at Whitinsville, in 1850. The same firm 
built the Holden resen'oir in 1866, the owners 



ILLUSTRATED HKSTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



of the mills at Pawtucket, Central Falls and the 
varions \-illages contriljuting to the cost. By a 
similar arrangement a reservoir was also built 
at Pascoag, on the head waters of the Branch 
river, the main trihntary of the Blackstone. 
By these means the water power was rendered 
much more nniforni than formerl\-, because the 
water being stored up, less runs to waste, and 
it was available for use in sununer when the 
ordinary siipjih" was scanty. 

At one time, Harve\- Chase, who was a far- 
seeing man, proposed to raise each dam on the 
river one foot. This would have had the effect 
of increasing the storage capacity of each mill 
pond and of adding to the power of the lower 
dam at Pawtucket. But to carry out this pro- 
posal would invoh'e so nmch expense that no 
action was taken. The manufacturers, how- 
ever, have been agitating the question of the 
construction of reser\-oirs recentlv, and a com- 




JAMES R. MACCOLL, 

AGENT FOR LORRAINE MANUFACTURING CO, 



mittee consisting of John C. Wyman, James H. 
Chace and L>'nian B. (kjff, was appointed in 
April, 1895, to consider and report a definite 
plan. 

Becau.se of the increase in the total vol- 
ume of the water through the construction of 
reservoirs, the proprietors on the upper dam 
petitioned the courts to allow them to enlarge 
their apertures. Considerable litigation resulted 
which has never been concluded. an<l the matter 
is still ])entling in the courts. 

The present owners on the upper dam witli 
the proportion of the river and the apertures 
they are entitled to, are : On the east side — 
Dexter Yarn Co., sixteen sixty-fourths of the 
river, aperture 25 feet ; Mrs. S. Pitcher old 
White stone mill, thirteen sixty-fourths, 20.31 
feet ; on the west side — J. L. Spencer, agent, 
fifteen sixtj'-fourths, 23.43 feet ; Pawti:cket Gas 
Co., ten sixty-fourths, 15.62 feet ; Littlefield 
Manufacturing Co., ten sixty-fourths, 15.62 feet. 
The last three are joint owners of vSIater's 
trench, out of which these apertures, as well as 
that to Sargeant's trench, open. The ajierture 
of what is now the Dexter yarn mill was in- 
creased by Henry Jerauld to its present dimen- 
sions, by transferring to it part of the privilege 
of the old Slater mill, Mr. Jerauld being at the 
time the proprietorof both properties. .Sargeant's 
trench is .still the size determined upon in the 
lawsuit of Tyler vs. Wilkinson, namely, 7.41 
feet, and is still entitled to the flow of 1400 
cubic feet per minute. 

The advantage obtained liy the storage 
reservoirs, was, at least in respect to the volume 
of water, counteracted by the diversion of a large 
]iortion of the water of the Abbott Run, — one 
of the tributaries of the Blackstone, which unites 
with it just above Central Falls, — to the u.se of the 
city when the water works were built. After 
considerable litigation the mill owners at Central 



IMPROVEMENT OF THE WATER POWER. 



"3 




DAVID HARLEY, 



Falls and Pawlucket were awarded for the daiiia.^e tlius done 
to their privileges the siiiii of §161,755.17. which included in- 
terest and the costs of the court from Feb. i, 1S7.S. Payments 
were made to the mill owners in proportion to their respecti\e 
shares in ownership of the water rights on July 22, Se])t. 3 and 
16, 1SS4. 

The water power on the lower dam all belonged originall.N- 
to the Smiths and Hucklins on the east side and the Jenk.ses on 
the west. The latter family remained in possession of the first 
settler's original estate for over two centuries, but the privilege 
on the east was divided and passed with the old Stone mill and 
the Bridge mill through a succession of owners from the be- 
ginning of the present century. In 1864 Darius Goff and his 
.son Darius L. Goff occupied the old Stone mill, utilized its 
water power, and in a few years built the large braid and 
plusli mills. 

The old Jenks estate at the falls had b>- inheritance passed into the hands of many owners, 
but the water power had hardly been utilized at all for many years. In 1885 Darius Goff bought 
the interests of three of these heirs: in 1S87 of five: iu 1888 of one, and in 1890 of four others, 
acquiring b>- these purchases about one-half of the property. He also purchased in 1888 the 
N. P. Hicks estate, formerly the property of the Greenes, — the lower water privilege on Sar- 
geant's trench. 

Mr. Goff died April 14, 189 r, but his sons carried out the work he had begun, and in 
January, 1893, they purchased the remaining half interest in the " Pardon Jenks," the " Xew 
mill" and the "Grist mill" estates, and thus .secured po.sse.s.sion of all the Jenks estate at the 

falls. In March of the same year they purchased the propertv 
of tlie Bridge Mill Paper Co. By these successive purchases 
^^^ the entire lower dam became the property of Darius L. and 

^^^^B^^^ I Lyman B. Goff, the sons and successors of Darius Goff. They 

^m^ ^^\ I al^o secured control of the Thornton estate on the western river 

^M -.11 -g m bank, south of the old Greene mill property. The falls and 

tj "^^ ^^ both lianks of the river southward for about seven hundred 

feet are included in all these properties, now under one manage- 
ment for the first time. 

When this property was thus in their pos.session the (Joff 
brothers formulated a plan to utilize it according to motlern 
methods. Their liraid and plush mills on the east side required 
about 500 horse power, leaving 1300 horse power available for 
other purposes, and which for some years previous had been 
running to waste over the dam. Thev decided to use this 

FRANK H. BORDEN, 

SECRETARY THE oAvio H»RLev CO. surplus forcc to geiieratc electricity for power, light and heat. 




114 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTItckET. 



and they formed a co])artiiershij) with that end 
in view under the name of tlie Hridge Mill 
Power Com])any. The}- endeavored to ob- 
tain a charier from the (jeneral Asseml)l>' in 
1S95. lint faileil to do so owinj; to the opposition 
of tlie Pawtucket Gas Co., which desired an 




EDWIN DARLING, 



exclusive franchise in Pawtucket for the manu- 
facture anil ilistrihntion of electricity. They, 
however, obtained from the Board of Aldermen 
on June 27, 1895, a license to distribute elec- 
tricity for general use, and Dec. i, 1895, the 
Bridge Mill Power Co. announced that it was 
prepared to furnish electric service. 



Work on the improvement of the water 
])ower was liegun in August, 1894. Manv of 
the old landmarks and ancient buildings on the 
river bank were at once removed. A retaining 
wall was built on the west side, far out int<i the 
river, taking in a large jiart of " Fishing Rock," 
and narrowing the channel very ma- 
terially immediately below the falls. 
This wall extends from the falls for 
more than seven hundred feet to a 
considerable distance below the 
mouth of .Sargeant's trench, follows 
the harbor line established a short time 
before, and encloses new and \aluable 
territor\- thus reclaimed from the river, 
and which will be available for fac- 
tories, shops and .stores. A portion 
of the lower dam was also relniilt. 
The total fall on the lower dam is 
17.021 feet. 

During 1895-6 the Bridge Mill 
Power Co. erected a large brick jiower 
station, 160 feet south of the bridge, 
directly on the river bank at the mouth 
of Sargeant's trench. It consists of 
three parts, a gate house 30 by 75 feet, 
a Vxiiler house 50 by 50 feet, and a 
power house 50 by 100 feet, and the 
entire structtue has a river frontage 
of 136 feet, and a street frontage of 
50 feet. Leading from the dam to the 
power station, a circular flume, seven- 
GTON. teen and a half feet in diameter and 

about one hundred and twenty feet 
long, was constructed to convey the water to 
the tnrliiues used to generate the power. 
This flume e.xpands at the power house into 
a " forel)ay," sixty feet square, with walls 
twenty-five feel high, rising nine feet above 
the level of the dam in order to provide 
for high water at times of freshets. The 



THE WATER POWER CONVERTED INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY, ip 




O. A. JILLSON, 



power station contains fi\e 33-inch horizontal turljine wheels, 
each capable of furnishing from 250 to 275 horse jwwer, or a 
total of about i.V'O. The turbines are directly connected with 
dynamos, from which electric power, heat and light is dis- 
tributed to railroads, factories, and shops. In case of low water 
the dynamos can be run by steam engines provided for the 
purpose. The water of vSargeant's trench also flows into the 
power house and is employed to operate a 30-horse power pump. 
Water was first turned into the power station. May i, 1896, 
and the wheels set in motion to generate electricity to operate 
the Interstate street railway. This was the first instance in 
which the power of the waters of the Black.stone river was 
converted into electric energy for street car propulsion. 

In connection with these notable improvements, the widen- 
ing of Main street from East avenue to and including the 
bridge and the extension of North Main street to Pleasant 

.street was suggested. The new street, as planned, will pass the power station and along the 
new territory reclaimed by the retaining wall from the river, and will open up and render much 
more valuable the property through which it passes. For this reason it has been suggested that 
the cost of building this avenue be a.ssessed on the abutting owners on the betterment plan. 
Probably if this improvement is carried out it will be by this method. 

After considerable conflict, apparent and real, between the Bridge Mill Power Co. and the 

Pawtucket Gas Co., which was furnishing light to the city 
and power to manufactures, — mostly generated by steam, — the 
two corporations consolidated their electrical interests by an 
agreement signed February 25, i8g6. The combination thus 
formed is known as the Pawtitcket Electric Co., and is now 
incorporated under the laws of Rhode Island, with a capital 
of $600,000. It controls all the water power on the lower 
dam and the lower privilege on Sargeant's trench. 

From the forge of Joseph Jenks, Jr., with the primitive 
way in which he made use of the water jiower, — b\- a run- 
way probably, — to the mammoth power house and the 
dvnamos which produce power that can be sent all o\er 
the adjacent country, is an immense advance. In a sense, 
this contrast illustrates the progress mankind has made in 
ROBERT BELLEw, mastering Nature's forces and wresting her secrets from her. 




ii6 



STREKT VIEWS ON THE EAST SIDE, 




■ BROADWAY, COTTAGE 



A ANGLE STREET. 

■ STREET, LOOKING NORTH FROM JUST E 

■AM STREETS. 



T, LOOKING EAST FROM DIVISION STREET. 



CHAPTER IX. 

LAND TKAVKL AXI) lU'ILDING OF HIGHWAYS— WAYSIDK IXXS— TRAFFIC ON PAWTFCKET 
RIVFR— DEKrENING OF THE CHANNEL. 



Tlin building of roads always has had an 
important effect on the development of new 
connnunities. The Romans carried for- 
ward and maintained their civilization in the 
countries they conquered chiefly by the aid of 
the great highways they built. Commerce was 
thus maintained, intercourse was rendered pos- 
sible, and the action and reaction which toned 
down local differences, removed prejudices, and 
taught men to know each other, had thereljx' 
opportunity to operate. 

In the New England colonies the building 
of roads in a measure kept pace with the growth 
of the connnunities : but the extension of the 
highwa\s in many instances hastened, while the 
neglect to build or maintain them in good re- 
pair, retarded this growth. The original .settle- 
ments were nearly all on the seacoast, and 
communication between them at first was mainl}' 
l)y water. Massachusetts bay was the highway 
between Phmouth, lioston and Salem. Xarra- 
gansett bay was the highway between Provi- 
dence, Portsmouth, Newport and the Indian 
village at Sowams. Probably much of the 
intercourse between Pawtucket and Providence, 
especially the tran.sportation of iron and tools 
to and from Joseph Jenks's forge, was by the 
wav of the Pawtucket river. While there were 



no roads in the modern .sense of the term when 
the white men arrived, still the country was 
traversed in all directions l)y Indian trails like 
the modern footpaths that now run through the 
woods or along the river banks. Some of these 
trails were well traveled roads of from six to 
twelve feet in width, and were made use of by 
the settlers. All the original highways were 
enlarged from them and usually followed their 
lines. 

A much traveled Indian trail led from 
Providence to Pawtucket falls, and from the 
first was the main road. B\' it overland com- 
munication was maintained with Boston. It 
became, as the colonies developed, the highway 
between Boston and New York, and continued 
to be the main artery of travel until the con- 
struction of the railroads. Pawtucket became, 
previous to the revolution, an important way- 
.station on this great highway, and in the limits, 
as well as on the outskirts of the villages on 
both sides, were many wayside inns which 
added to the business of the place. They were 
also important .sources of social growth, as b\' 
their means the village people obtained news 
and glimpses of the outside world, in their com- 
mon rooms the local social life centered and the 
iiossip of the neiafhborhood circulated. On the 



ii6 



vSTRKlvT \Ilv\VS OX T H !■ KAST SIDE. 




i NORTHEAST FROM ANGLE STREET. 

3. SUMMIT STREET, LOOKING NORTH FROM J 
SUMMIT STREETS. 



; STREET. FROM ( 



CHAPTER IX. 

LAND TRAVKI. AND Bt'II.DING OF HICIIWAVS— WAVSIDK INNS— TRAFFIC ON rAWTrCKRT 
RIVER— DKEPKNINO OF THI'; CHANNEL. 



THE building of roads al\va3-s has had an 
iniportant effect on tlie development of new 
conimnnities. The Romans carried for- 
ward and maintained their civilization in the 
countries they conquered chiefl>' b>' the aid of 
the great highways they built. Commerce was 
thus maintained, interconr.se was rendered pos- 
sible, and the action and reaction which toned 
down local differences, removed prejudices, and 
taught men to know each other, had thereb>- 
opportunity to operate. 

In the New England colonies the building 
of roads in a measure kept pace with the growth 
of the connnunities ; but the extension of the 
highways in many instances hastened, while the 
neglect to build or maintain them in good re- 
pair, retarded this growth. The original settle- 
ments were nearly all on the seacoast, and 
communication between them at first was mainly 
by water. Massachusetts bay was the highway 
between Plymouth. Boston and Salem. Narra- 
gansett bay was the highway' between Provi- 
dence, Portsmouth, Newport and the Indian 
village at .Sowams. Probably much of the 
intercourse lietweeu Pawtucket and Providence, 
especially the transportation of iron and tools 
to and from Joseph Jenks's forge, was by the 
way of the Pawtucket river. While there were 



no roads in the modern sense of the term when 
the white men arrived, still the country was 
traversed in all directions by Indian trails like 
the modern footpaths that now run through the 
woods or along the river banks. vSome of these 
trails were well traveled roads of from six to 
twelve feet in width, and were made use of by 
the settlers. All the original highways were 
enlarged from them and nsualh' followed their 
lines. 

A nuich traveled Indian trail led from 
Providence to Pawtucket falls, and from the 
first was the main road. By it overland com- 
munication was maintained with Boston. It 
became, as the colonies developed, the highway 
between Bo.ston and New York, and continued 
to be the main arterj^ of travel until the con- 
struction of the railroads. Pawtucket became, 
pre\'ious to the revolution, an important way- 
station on this great highway, and in the limits, 
as well as on the outskirts of the N'illages on 
both sides, were many wayside inns which 
added to the business of the place. They were 
also important .sources of social growth, as by 
their means the village people obtained news 
and glimpses of the outside world, in their com- 
mon rooms the local social life centered and the 
gossip of tlie neighborhood circulated. On the 



ii8 



ILLUSTR ATI", I) HISTORY () !• I'AWT T C K I'.T. 



east sick- the liest known inns wltl- the I)iill> 
Sal)in ;uul tlic- Shu'k ta\crns, and at a littk- 
hilcr pi-rioil thr "new taxern " conchu'ted 1)\' 
liliphak-l lUake. ( )n llie west siik-, in vl-vv 
early times, a taxern was maintained close to 
the bridge and near the grist mill, and in the 
revolutioiiarv period the Ballon homestead, 
whieh stood on the ]iresent t-orn(.-i ol Uroad 
and Main streets, and an inn which occupietl 
the site recently covered 1)\- the LeP'avour 
block, corner of Ili.gh and Main streets, were 
the principal honses of 
entertainment. On the 
outskirts of the \illage 
was Constant Martin's 
tavern, and half way to 
Providence was the Sa>les 
ta\ern. where a wayside 
inn was maintained for 
generations. At a later 
period, in the earl\- years 
of the ]iresent centur\-, the 
Pawtucket hotel, corner of 
Main and Mill streets, be- 
came the chief hostelr\-. 
On the western border of 
the present limits of the 
city, on .Smith field avenue, 
is the Lindsay ta\ern. 
erected about 1S25, and 

which is one of the best survi\ing examples of 
the waxside inns as they existed just ])revious 
to the ad\ent of the railroads. 

The Indian trails, like tlie modern rail- 
roads, followed the lines of least resistance, but 
the aborigines had no time for engineering. 
Instead of crossing a swam]) or bridging a river, 
they went around tiie one and forded the other. 
Their paths were thus verv circuitous. The 
old road between Pawtucket and Providence, 
which follows to-day practicall_\ the Indian lay- 




ABNER ATWOOD, 



out, exhibits this characteristic in a striking 
degree. It originally skirted the Great Swamp 
in the valle> of the Moshassuck, keeping along 
the edge of the morass above the wet ground, 
while on the other hand it avoided the hills to 
the eastward. It thus followed the easiest 
course and was both dr\ and level. Woodland 
])aths, wherever they exist at the present day, 
are naturally developed on similar lines. The 
ancient Pawtucket jiath, widened, graded, and 
in some places straightened, now comprises 
North Main street in Prov- 
idence and a small part of 
Pawtucket avenue and the 
whole of Main street to the 
falls in Pawtucket. This 
entire thoroughfare should 
ha\e one name, and Paw- 
tucket street or avenue 
would l)e aiiprf)priate and 
historic. 

The first road on the 
east side was built in 17 16, 
after the bridge was erect- 
ed, and it, too, probably 
followed the old Indian 
trails : but pre\-ious to 
that date the county road 
around Seekonk plain was 
in existence, and the road 
to Mendou had also been made through the 
woods fron\ the Ring of the Town. 

The next highwa>- to be constructed after 
the old road, in the limits of Pawtucket on the 
west, was what is now Lonsdale avenue, which 
was laid out Oct. 2i). 1716, and afforded access 
to the settlements in Smithfield in the neighlior- 
hood of ,Scott's pond. It was long known as 
the Smithfield road. The okl Neck road, which 
ran from Pawtucket along the eastern side of 
Providence neck, was relaid April 6, 1723, by 



THK FIRST IIKIHW.WS. 



119 




JOHN F. O'CONNOR, 

F O'CONNOR 4 WEATHERHEA 



Joseph Jc-nks aiul Richard Hrown. Kvi.k-nlly it ha.l been in 
existence l,ef.,re that dale. This old road is probably the 
present I'leasant street in I'awtncket. and the Swan Point road 
and Roehanibeau axenne in I'mvidence. 

A road to the town lan.lint; was laid ont March 10, 1754, 
by Steplien Mcpkins, Richard Waterman an.l David Wilkin- 
son, was accepted by the town in .755, ami tlie bounds finally 
approved in ,763. This luKhway was lonu known as Onaker 
lane from the fact that on it were the dwellin-s of Ozid Wil- 
kinson, Benjamin Arnol.l and Timothy Greene, who were all 
members of the Society of Friends. Subscpientlv it became 
known as Plea.sant street. The lower part or .lirect approach 
to the landinir is now Lumber .street. 

After tlie revolution, when indu.stry began to increa.se at 
Pawtucket, new highways were opened as the communitv 
, .,, ,, developed. Mill street was laid out when the Slater mill was 

hudt. About ,So4 ,..el Wilkinson built the thirteen miles of the Norfolk and Bnsto, turnpike 
nearest Pawtucket. He n.ade all the spades, shovels and p.cks for this work in Ins own sl^ps 
The part of th,s road ,n Pawtucket is the present Broadway, and was for n,anv vears known 
as Front street. This turnp.ke becan.e at once the principal highway in ,,lace .;f the old road 
wh.ch had e.xrsted Iron, the middle of the preceding century, and over it and the Pawtucket pike 
the s.age coaches and freight wagons rumbled and swayed on their wax hetxxeen Providence 
and Bo.ston. Ihe Valley Falls turnpike, now Broad street, was built Uy Isaac N\-ilkin,son about 
1812. The Smuhfield Turnpike Company was incorporated in ,805, and in October „S.6 the 
eastern and lower section of the road was renamed the Mineral Spring turnpike the be-^in- 
ning of which is Mineral Spring avenue in Pawtucket. 
The importance of maintaining the main traveled roads 
in good repair and the difficulty of accomplishing this by 
local efforts gave rise to the turnpike .system. The highways 
were built and maintained by private corporations, who ob- 
tained their incomes by tolls collected from travelers. Bridges 
were sustained in the same way. rilimately many of these 
turnpike companies became public propert\-, a result which 
happened in the case of the Pro\-idence & Pawtucket Turn- 
pike Co., which had maintained the old n.ad lor many years. 
The .state of Rhode Island continueii to collect toll for years 
after securing po.s.se.ssion. The toll house was near the i)re.sent 
junction of Main street and Pawtucket axeiine. 

With the development of industrx during the first part of 
the century stage coaches came largelv into use, and were ^~' 

^„„I 1„ 1 I n • , . , . " JOKN WEATHERHEAD, 

enabled by the improvement of the highwa>s to reduce the time or oxonnor » w^therme/o. 




I LI.USTRA'ri'.I) HISTOUN' ( ) !• I'AW" 'P l' C K IvT. 



of travel between lioston and New York from 
a week, as had been the case before the revolu- 
tion, to abont fifty honrs. Tlie eoaclies ran 
between all the principal towns and cities, an<l 
bj- 1830 had become \erv commodious and con- 
venient as compared with their predecessors. 

A steamboat line between Providence and 
New York was established in 1S22. Stages 
were run from Boston through I'awtucket to 
connect with the boats, and made the trip in 
about fi\e hours, which was then considered 
phenomenallx' fast time. 

The railroads, in a few years after their 
advent, droxe the long distance stages off the 
great highways, and utterh- killed the business 
of the way.side inns ; but for two decades there- 
after stages, then known as omniVmses, were 
ver>- generalh' useil for local transportation, and 
continued to perform that service until tlie be- 
ginning of the .street car era in the 6o's. 

A stage known as the Pawtucket Diligence 
was run between Pawtucket and Providence in 
1X25 by Simon H. Arnold. It started from the 
Pawtucket hotel and made two trips a day. 
This was not the begining of local stage travel 
between Pawtucket and Providence, as the coach 
liad been run before Mr. Arnold purchased 
it. Abraham H. Adams was the next stage 
owner. Then Wetherell & Bennett operated 
a line of omnibuses from 1.S36 to 1854, when 
Sterry h'ry ])urchased them and continued to 
run them until the>' were supplanted by the 
horse cars of the Pro\idence and Pawtucket 
street railroad, which was constructed 1)>- Hiram 
H. Thomas, and put into ojieration Ma>', 1S64. 
{•'or man\- \ears the onuiibus station was on 
Mill street in a building which occupied the 
site of B. McCaughey & Co.'s store, 93 North 
Main street. 

The Pawtucket Street Railwav Co. was in- 
corporated in iSX5, and its lines, now o])erated 



b\- electricity, reach e\'ery ]vart of the cit\' and 
suburbs. The cars of the rnion Railroad fur- 
nish transi)ortation to Providence, and those of 
the Interstate Railroad to Attleboro, North 
Attleboro and intermediate points. While in 
iS3(i four hours ami fifty minutes was the fastest 
times that the stage coaches could make between 
Providence and Piostou, the express trains now 
go through in an hour and the electric cars 
make the trip in less than a half hour between 
Pawtucket and Providence, and instead of two 
trips a day, like the old diligence, make over a 
hundred. 

vStrictly speaking Pawtucket never has had 
any commerce. During the latter part of the 
last century and the beginning of this century 
vSyh'cster Bowers on the east side and (rcorge 
Robinson and Thomas .Arnold on the North 
Prox'ideiice bank of the ri\-er built shi])s of 
ordinary size for the times.* But there does 
not appear to have been any vessels bringing 
cargoes for distribution through the surrounding 
country, and, with the possible exception of 
Nathan Daggett, there were no importing mer- 
chants. Providence transacted all the com- 
merce, and Pawtucket in those days afforded no 
opportunity for foreign shipping. At high tide 
there was enough water in the channel to float 
the largest \-essels, — .some of them of nearly 
three hundred tons burden, — that were built in 
the shipvards ; and probably a few vessels came 
up the ri\er earl\- in the centur\- with cotton 
for the mills, and lumber and other supplies for 
the growing communitx'. 

The neighborhood on both sides of the 
ri\-er in the \'icinit\- of the jircsent l)i\-ision 
street bridge was known locally as the Landing. 
Here the shijiyards were located. The town of 
North Providence owned in this region some 



•Benedict's Reiiiinisceiiccs, No. 
.\ililiess. North Providence, p. :il. 



Ceiitciuiial 



BEGINNING OF TlIK R I V K R TRAFFIC. 



land l)y the water side wliidi was called 
the ••Town Laiidiiiu." This was seme- 
times leased to individuals, is still jmh- 
lic property, and lies between Lunil.er 
street and the river. It is less than an 
acre* in extent, liaving ),een niateriall\- 
ahridged by the recent widening of the 
street, and is now occupied liy the De- 
partment of Public Works. The Town 
Lan<h'nK and a Iii.^hway to it was oricr- 
niail\- laid out, in compliance with a 
vote of the town of I'rovi.lence, by 
Stephen Hopkins, Richard Waterman 
and David Wilkinson, March 4, 17^4, 
and was accepted by the town Feb. .3, 
1755- The boundaries were verified by 
Stephen Hopkins and David Wilkinson 
in 1760, and the j.Ian and report ac- 
cepted by the town council May -,o 
1763. 

Nathan Daggett is said to have had 
a wharf at the Landing on the Reho- 
both side some time in the last centur>-, 
and to have carried on a connnercial 
bu.sine.ss there, but his headquarters 
were at Seekonk Co\e, the mouth of 
the Ten Mile River. t "He had a 
packet that made regular trijis to Newjiort, and 
other ve.s.sels went to the West Indies." 

The first utilization of the I'awtucket riAcr 
and ,,f tlK- Landing in a nio.lern way was in 1S27 
when Joseph Smith! and Clark Sayles began 
the business of bringing coal an.l lumber up "the 
river, and distributing these staples to the sur- 
rounding n.amifacturers and others in Paw- 
tucket and the adjacent territory. They estab- 
lished this new business on the ea.st side beh.w 

*S,-lie,luIe of City Propertv, .\nnual R.norH IS'l-, 
ojip. |>. IMIS. • • • 

tBenedict's Reminiscences, Nos. 33 and 38. 
^Benedict' s Reminiscences, No. 38. 




PETER B. McMAMUS, 

PBOPRIETOR HOME BLEACH i DVE WOBKS. 

where the Division street bridge now is. .Mr. 
Sayles .soon retired from the firm. Isaac Ivllis 
became a ])artner with Josej^h Smith and the 
busuiess was con.hicted under the name of Kllis 
^t Smith. .Mr. Smith finally became .sole owner, 
and aciiuired wharf property on both sides of 
the river. On the east side he owned about a 
thou.sand feet of the water front and carried on 
the lumber and coal business for nuiny \ cars 
under the name of Joseph Smith .S: Co. 
The l)usincss was continued by his sous until 
1^574, when the name was changed to the 
Joseph Smith Co., which concern was suc- 
ceeded in 1883 by J. T. Cottrell, who.se 



1 M.rS'P K A'l'i'. 1) IIISTokV ()!■ I'AW'ITCK I'.T. 



estate still coiulucls the business al llie old 
Landing.* 

When Clark isayles dissolved partnershii) 
with Joseph Smith he started business at what 
was sul)se(|uenUy known as the Thornton lum- 
ber \ard on the Rhode Island side, a short dis- 
tance below the falls at the head of navigation. 
Jesse S. Thornton iV Co. began the coal and 
lumber business here about 1.S40, which was 
continued until '•'^7^. This firm had two 
wharves here in 1^(15. t 

William T. Adams, who had l)een a ])artner 
in the firm of Jesse S. Thornton (.\: Co., after 
the dissolution of the old concern through the 
death of .Simon Thornton, built Adams whart 
now occujMcd by the Pawtucket Gas Co., at the 
foot ot Tidewater street and carried on for some 
years the coal and hnnber business under the 
name of William T. Adams & Son. 

In 1.S57 Smith Grant and George E. Newell 
.started on the west side the coal and lund^er 
business which has now developetl into the 
great concern of the Newell Coal & Lundier 
Co. The business was conducted under the 
name of Smith Grant & Co., until the formation 
of the present company in 1890. When this 
business was begun there were no wharves 
further south on the west side than that used 
by this firm. 

Pre\ious to rS4.S the firm of Mason & Crane 
carried on the coal business at what was then 
the foot of Division street on the east bank of 
the river. This location was afterwards occu- 
])ied by the I'awtucket Coal Company, and 
since i8S.^ has l)een the scene of the operation 
of the Cit\- Coal Compan>-. This concern now 
occupies about 160 feet of the water front 

•Benedict's Reiiiinisceiices, No. ;!8 ; Geo. F. Kelly 
vs. City of Providence, before U. S. Circuit Court, 1867, 
testimony of Henry 1". Smith, p. 1 14. 

ttieo. 1-'. Kelly vs. City of rroviilence, p. 148. 



innnediatelv south of the Division street bridge, 
and the ])remises are coxered with coal pockets 
and hoisting apparatus of motlern construction. 
George O. Capron has been manager of this 
company since its organization. 

After 1S40, when the modern di\ersification 
of industry- in I'awtucket ma\- be said to luu'e 
begun, the navigation on the river rajiidly 
increased. Joseph .Sniitli in i.s^S had six small 
vessels discharge coal at his wharf, the largest 
one of which had 175 and the smallest 50 tons. 
In 1867 there arrixx-d twent\-nine vessels, 
averaging 197 tons, the smallest with 105 and 
the largest with 317 tons. In iShj Joseph Smith 
(S: Co. received about 6000 tons of coal and 
3,000,000 feet of lumber. In 1840 Jesse T. 
Thornton iS: Co. received 764 tons of coal in 9 
\essels, and also 1,132,665 feet of lumber in 
other vessels ; but the business increasetl to 
such an extent that in 1866 there was brought 
to the firm's wharf 961 1 tons of coal in 50 vessels, 
the largest of which had 250 tons, and the 
amount of lumber recei\ed the same year was 
over 5,500,000 feet, of which 1,252,787 feet 
were for other parties. The business of Smith, 
Grant & Co. increased from 300 tons of coal and 
three or four thousand feet of hnnber in 1857, to 
78c)o tons of coal in 1866 and 2,750,000 feet of 
lumber in 1S67, besides which large cjuantities 
of brick, cement and North River stone were 
also received.* 

This lumber and coal was sold in a circuit 
of twenty miles — in Central Falls, \'alley Falls. 
Woon.socket and the \illages of the Hlackslone 
\alley, in .Seekonk, Cumberland, Rehoboth, 
North Providence, .Smithfield, Wrenlham, 
iManklin, Medway and .\ttlel)oro. h'rom about 
i8()o, besides coal and hnnber, brick, iron, 
grain, stone, i-enient and ha\- had also been 
brought up the ri\er in \essels. 



•Kelly vs. City of Providence, 1807, pp. iL'l, 131. 



I M P R O \' ]-: M K X T O !•■ T 1 1 ]■ PAW T V C K I-: T R I \' !■ R , 




ROBERT WILSON, 

CONTRACTOR AND BUILDEi 




This increase in the river 
traffic was not as great as it 
mioht have been, from the 
fact that the channel was nar- 
row, crooked and shahow, 
and that the bridges at the 
mouth of tile ri\'er between 
Providence and P^ast Pro\-i- 
dence interfered with its easy 
navigation. The increase in 
the size of vessels after i860 
aggravated the effect of these 

conditions. The difference of ^^ ^ ^ lolT* s^ToL'^ders 

the cost of freight to Paw- 
tucket on these accounts was thirty-five cents a ton on coal 
and fifty cents a thousand feet on lumber as compared with 
the cost to Providence. This state of affairs was very un- 
satisfactory to the jieople of Pawtucket, and, as a result ot 
popular feeling in the matter, an agitation aro.se having for 
its objects the widening of the bridges and the deepening of 
the channel. After years of effort these improvements were 
secured . 

The Washington bridge anil the Central or Reil bridge 
connecting Providence with Kehoboth were built across the 
Pawtucket ri\er near its month in 1792 by John, Moses and 
Nicholas Brown and other leadin>' citizens and merchants of 



Providence and Rehoboth. The\- were both owned b\- corpor- 
ations, and were toll bridges until they became the ])roperty 
of the cit\' of Providence. 'IMie Washinglim bridge became 
free to travel March i, 1.S62. In 1S35 the railroad bridge 
was built near the Washington bridge. The draws in these 
three bridges were originally 24 feet wide, but in 1^59 the 
Rhode Island (leneral Assembly directed that tlie width be 
increased to ,^S feet. As a result of a lawsuit in 1S67 between 
(".eorge F. Kelly and the City of Providence, which was actuall_\' 
lirought by the peojile of Pawtucket. the draws were still 
further widened so as to acconnnodate the larger sized vessels 
that were then engaged in tran,sj)ortation. 

The first attempt to im])rove the channel of the Pawtucket 
river was made in 1867 when 
the United States Congress 
appropriated $17,000 for that 
purpose. From that time up 
to 1S82 the sum of $52,000 was 
appro])riated. Previous to the 
beginning of this work the 
river had only a ruling depth 
of five feet at mean low water. 
As the average rise of the 
tide is five feet, this only gave 
about ten feet at high water. 
Hv i.S76the channel had been 




vVILLIAM H. GOODING, 
. ESTATE broker AND AUCTIONEER. 



124 



I 1,1, r ST RAT I'D HISTORY Ol.' I'A \V T U C K ]-;T. 



(lr<.-(l!;cil liy thu j^oxfiiiiiR'Hl to a depth ol 
seven feet. I'iuIlt tlit- aii])ro\c(l project of 1.883, 
it was planned that a ehaniR-l 100 Icct wide and 
twelve feet deej) be constnicted from deep water 
above Red bridge to the ledge opposite Smith 
Grant & Co.'s wharf at an estimated expense of 
$382,500. This has l)een substantiallx' accom- 
plished since that period, so that to-da>' \-essels 
of large size, mammoth coal barges, drawing 
sixteen or eighteen feet of water can come up 
the river to Pawtucket at high tide. A channel 
40 feet wide and 1 _' feet deeji is also to Iil- made 
through the stone ledge whicli here forms the 
river bottom, from \.\\v ]>oiut where the 100 foot 
channel terminates up to the foot of the Division 
street bridge. This remains \ et to be clone, but 
the work has been started. The main channel 
now recjuiri's re-dredging. 

On the afternoon of .May 16, 1894, a fire 
started in a blacksmith sho]) on the jn'emises of 
the Newell Coal & I,und)er Co.. spiead rajiidl>- to 
adjoining .structures, was connnunicated across 
the river by the three-nia.sted schooner, I<. P\ 
Hopkins, which ha\-ing had its liawser burned 
awa\' drifted diagonall\- across the narrowest 
part of the channel, thus foiiniug a bridge for 
the flames. On the we.st side the buildings of 
the Newell Coal & Lumber Co. and of Olney 
it l'a\ne 15ros., and on the east side those of the 
City Coal Co. and of J. T. Cottrell were 
destroyed, invoU'ing a total loss of about 
$400,000, and wiping out completely all the coal 
and lumber establishment on the ri\er. The 
premises of the Pawtucket <'.as Co.. next adjoin- 
ing Olney &: Payne Bros., narrowly esca]>ed des- 
truction. These establishments were inuuedi- 
ately rebuilt, and are now modern in ai)pearance 
and appliances. 

All the shipping facilities of Pawtucket can 
be viewed to rare advantage from Division street 



l)ridge, which is now the limit lor the navigation 
of large \'essels, although small craft can go 
underneath the brid.ge, U]) the rixer nearls' to 
the falls. The river is about one hundred and 
lilty feet wide below the bridge, and keeps this 
width for about two hundred and fifty feet, form- 
ing thus a miniature basin or up])er harbor, and 
the ri\er banks are formed by stone walls, which 
are a\-ailable as landings. Below this basin the 
ri\er contracts to about seventy-five feet and so 
continues for a di.stance of three or four hundred 
feet, when it .gradually widens out to about five 
hundred feet, and half a mile further down opens 
out into a bioad estnarx' from a third to hall a 
mile wide. Both banks are high and bold all 
tile wa>' to Providence harbor, ami are largely 
crowned with trees along the entire cour.se of 
four miles. A sail down the river consequently 
presents a series of ]Mctures(|ue views, including 
points, headlands, the bridges at the mouth of 
the river and the residences of Proviilence and 
East Providence on the heights overlooking the 
river and harbor. 

The Pawtucket steamers which run to 
the shore places on Narragansett l)av, have 
a landing in the upper basin a short distance 
below the bridge. From the elevation of the 
bridge the view has man>- picturesque fea- 
tures. Although the coal jiockets are bv no 
means things of beautv, yet the vista which the 
river presents, with its winding channel, its 
coves, the t:dl, grimy structures lining its 
banks, and the tree-covered .slopes of the eastern 
river bank, with the house of the Pawtucket 
boat chd) in the loregnmnd, forms a scene char- 
acteristic of modern life and of Pawtucket, — 
namelv, a c-ond)iuation of connnercial realism, 
with its sordid leatin\-s of toil and S(pialor, 
alongside ol elements ol natural .^race ami 
beautv. 



CHAPTER X. 

THE ACHIFA'EMENT OK POLITICAL UNITY AND THE COALESCIXG Ol' THI-: TWO 

PAWTUCKETS. 



THI'! western part of Rehoboth became dur- 
ing the early years of this century so 
radically distinct in character from the 
rest of the town through the starting of cotton 
mills at Pawtucket falls and on the Ten Mile 
river, that tlie conflicting interests of the manu- 
facturing and farming sections brought about a 
division of the territor}' into two towns. That 
portion lying along the eastern shores of the 
Seekonk and Providence rivers became in 
March, 1S12, the town of Seekonk, Mass., 
while the rest of the territory remained in the 
old town. 

Caleb Abell was the moderator of the first 
town meeting of Seekonk. He was also the 
first town clerk, and held this office for more 
than a ([uarter of a century. Oliver vStarkweather 
was moderator in 1S13 and 18 14, represented 
the town in the Massachusetts house of repre- 
sentati\es from 1S12 to 18 18, and in the senate 
from 1 82 1 to 1823. Eliphalet Slack, Benjamin 
Walcott, David Bucklin, Ebenezer Tjler, and 
other inhabitants of Pawtucket, were active in 
town affairs. Tristram Burges, the noted orater, 
who was for man\- years a professor in Brown 
University, and represented Rhode Island in the 
United States Congress from 1825 to 1835. 
although he liveil in Provitlence, had a resi- 
dence in Seekonk, and was appointed on one of 



the town committees in 1820. He .spent the 
remainder of his life after 1835 on his estate here, 
where he died, October 13, 1853. 

Increa.se of population, through the opera- 
tion of the factories and shops at the falls, very 
soon after this division, created a diversity of 
interest between the peojile of that active and 
growing comnuinit\- and their fellow townsmen 
in the rural districts. As a result a second 
division was made, and the northwestern corner 
along the river and around the falls — the present 
east side — was on March 1, 1828, set off as the 
town of Pawtucket, Mass., while the remainder 
retained the old name of Seekonk. At the first 
town meeting Oliver Starkweather was modera- 
tor ; David Bucklin, Elijah Ingrahani and 
Remember Kent, selectmen: James C. Stark- 
weather, town clerk; and William Allen, town 
treasurer. The successive town clerks were : 
George W. Hills, elected April 5, 1830: Amos 
A. Tillinghast, April 4, 1S31 ; Thomas Esten, 
April 6, 1835; and Alvin O. Read. Aj>ril3, 1857. 
The latter continued in oftice until the spring of 
1.S62, as long as Pawtucket remained a Massa- 
setts town. James C. Starkweather was a rep- 
resentative to the Ma.ssachusetts General Court 
from 1828 to 1830, and senator in 1S36; Re- 
mendier Kent was a representative in 1832 and 
following \ears. The town meetings were held 



126 



I 1,1, r ST RATI; 1) IllS'l'nUV () I' 1' AW T T C K I'.T. 



from 1S2S to 1S45 in the hrit-k schoollunisc, and 
from that (latt.- until iSSs in the town liall on 
Scliool street. 

1{\- the settlement of the l)o\in(hu\ between 
Massachusetts and Rhode Island in isoj the 
town of I'autuekel and the western ptJrtion ol 
Seekonk l\in>' alon>;- the shore of the >Seekonk 




ALMON K. GOODWIN, 
POSTMASTER AND MAYOR OF PAWTUCKET 1888, 1889 AND 1891 

river and of Xarragansett bay, were transferred 
to Rhode Island in exchange lor the Rhode 
Island town of h'all River. Pawtueket on the 
east side Ijegan its career as a Rhode Island 
town March i. 1S62, and its legal union with 
the community on the other side ol the ri\er 
occurred May i, 1874, which date is the birth- 



da\' of Modern I'awtueket. The ])ortion of 
Seekonk translerred to Rhode Island became the 
town ol Ivast Providence, and in its limits are the 
ancient settlement of Reholioth— " the Ring of 
the Town : " the site of Roger Williams s first 
settlement ; the gra\e of Cajit. Thomas Willett, 
tlie first ma\<)r of New \'ork ; and the ancient 
Newman burial ground. All these his- 
toric s])ots, so intimately connected with 
the life of the first settlers, are now on 
Rhode Island soil. 

The town clerks of Pawtueket, R. I., 
from 1.S62 to the union of the two villages 
in i.Sy4, were: Isaac vShox'e, elected 
March i, 1S62: Alden W. vSibley, March 
:,, 1S65 ; Alvin O. Read, March 27, 1866, 
and Lewis Pearce. Ajiril 5, i^^7i. The 
latter continued to hold the office after 
the union, until in iS,S2 he was succeeded 
b\- Alden \V. Sibley, who has since then 
continued to hold the position, first as 
town, and then as cit\' clerk. 

When North Providence was created 

out of the northwestern portion of the old 

town of Providence in 1765,* the west 

side of the village of Pawtueket was the 

most ]K)i)ulous place in the new township. 

The bulk of the jiopulation was, however, 

at the western end of the territory, not 

concentrated in one locality, but scattered 

over an extensive area. The centre of 

])opulation changed after the revolution 

through the increase in the industries of 

Pawtueket, and thereafter some of the 

town meetings were held in the neighborhood. 

At first all the meetings were held in the 

middle or western part ol the town, either in 

dwelling hou.ses or inns. The houses of Isaiah 

Hawkins, l-;iisha IJrown, PIsq., John Sears and 



"Chapter 4, p. 47. 



WHERE THE TOWN MHETINCS W K R !• }Ii:i,I). 



127 




CHARLES SISSON, 

Daniel Clark, and the inns of John Foster and 
Jeremiah Sa^'les were among the gathering 
places nntil 177S. In that >ear it was voted to 
hold a meeting at the house of FCsek listen, 
within the present limits of Woodlawn, lint 
before it occurred an intervening meeting de- 
cided upon the house of Mrs. Deborah Hawkins, 
which continued to be the place for a number of 
years. April 16, 1794, the meeting was held at 
the house of Joseph Jenks, and this was prob- 
ably the first to assemble in the village of Paw- 
tucket. From that time until iSoi the meetings 
were held in the hou.ses of Benjamin Smith, 
Rufus Angell, Jacob Winslow, Joseph Dexter 
and Ezekiel Winslow. 

The ta\-ern of Otis Tiffany in Pawtucket 
was the meeting place Dec. S, 1801, and 
again April 21, 1S03. P'rom that time until 
between 1.S30 and 1840 some of the meetings 
were held in Pawtucket and some in the farm- 
ing di.strict, this plan being probably adopted 
as a compromise, in order to acconnnodate both 
sections. Pawtucket seems to ha\'e been selected 



as the place to hold the state and national elec- 
tions, while llie town elections were held in the 
rural sections, but IJiis method was not in\ar- 
iabl\- followed. 

Public gatherings at Pawtucket were held 
in the earlv \ ears ol the centur\- at the tavern 
which stood on the site of the LeI'avour block, 
corner of Main and High streets, and which was 
successively conducted by Otis Tiffany, Bos- 
worth Walker and others. The brick building, 
now known as tlie Dorrance block, corner of 
Main autl North .Main streets, was constructed 
about 1814, and utilized as a hotel. It soon 
liecame the principal gathering place for all 
public meetings* of a political or other charac- 
ter, and the majority of the town meetings from 
1S20 to 1845 were held within its walls. The 
people from the outlying parts of the town found 
pleasure in the hos]ntalit\- of the tavern, and 
enjoyed such excitement as the busy \illage of 
Pawtucket furnished on election ilaxs, when the 




W. STANLEY, 
J. O. DRAPER A CO. 



■IkiRiiii Is Ki.iniiiisctMices, No. 40. 



128 



I LH'STRATi:!) inS'PORV OF PAWTUCKKT. 




U. T. BARBER, 

FENDENT SLATER COTTON ( 



s])acc in front of llic hotel became for the time the ])la/.;i of the 
town. Here the\ eonld see life and mingle in it. 

A town meeting was held in the Baptist meeting house in 
1S14, an<l between iSj^sand 1 S4;, the electors assembled re])eat- 
edl>- in the \-estr\- of the Baptist chureh. Free hall was the 
meeting place occasionall\- from iS^S to [.S42. Meanwhile up 
to this time meetings ccnitinued to be held in the eastern portion 
of the town, in the earh- years of the century at the houses of 
F'zekiel Whipjile, Abner King, Hollimaii Potter, vStephen Brown, 
Humane \\'est(m, vSmilh W'illiur, h'sek Hawkins, Ha/.eal .Smith, 
Joseph Hawkins, and others ; but after 1.S20 the house of 
Nicholas P. White and the .stone schoolhouse were the usual 
places, although the h'ruit Hill hotel, and the houses of James 
Angell and Leonard .Sweet also accommodated the electors 
repeatedl\-. 'Plie privilege of accommodating the town meeting 
was sold A])ril 20, 1.S25, to the highest bidder, and Leonard 

.Sweet secured the right for $25. From 1S46 to 1853 Odd Fellows hall in Pawtucket seems to have 
been the sole meeting place. During the latter year the town purchased Columbia hall and there- 
after used it for a town hall. This gave place to the present town hall erected in 1S71. 

As the political centre of the town thus gradually approached and finally settled in Pawtucket, 
a separation of the elements whose interests had thereby diverged was eventually considered ex- 
jjedient. A small ])art of the territory was reunited to Providence, March 28, 1873. In 1874 the 
townshi]i was divided into three .sections, one of which became the city of Providence ; another, 
the ancient xillage of Pawtucket on the west bank, was united to its twin sister across the ri\-er, 
Ma_\- I, 1874, and became legall\- and corporately Pawtucket as it had long been colloquially; and 

the remaining portion, the outlying farming countrv, continued 
as the town of North Providence. 

The east side thus passed under three separate town juris- 
dictions and was transferred from Rhode Island to Massachu- 
setts, while the west side was successively in Providence and 
North Providence before the final union took place. 

John Comstock was the moderator of the first North Provi- 
dence town meeting and Jonathan Arnold the first town clerk. 
Capt. .Stephen Jenks .ser\-ed for many years previous to and 
during the revolution as moderator and president of the town 
council. Sylvanus Sayles was towMi clerk from 1768 to 1771; 
Hope Angell until 1817; William N. Rhodes until June, 1840; 
John H. Weeden until June 5, 1854: Alexander Meggett until 
April 4, 1855, and Ro\:il Lee until the union in 1874. 

The distinct character of the we.st side village was recog- 

JOSHUA S. WHITE, • , T , o 1 . 1 1 ,1 01 1 

r AND rRON FOUNDER. uizcd Fcl). I J , 1 8o I , wlieu an act was passed l>y the Rhode 




THE PAWTUCKET I'lRI-; DISTRICT. 



129 



Island General Assembly, constituting it the 
"District of Pawtucket," for the purpose of 
fire protection. In a limited sen.se the place 
thus became a self-governing municipalit\-, 
with the ])o\ver of taxation and regulation 
for tliis one puqiose. At Otis Tiffany's inn 
the first meeting was held on the first Monday 
in A]MiI, iSoi. Steidien Jenks was moder- 
ator; Jerathmeel Jenks, clerk; Benjamin Ar- 
nold, collector; Otis Tiffany, treasurer; 
James Mason, Samuel .Slater and Jerathmeel 
Jenks, assessors; Nathaniel Croade, Oziel Wil- 
kinson and vStephen Jenks, firewards. House- 
hold furniture, goods and merchandise were 
to l)e assessed double, and buildings three 
times the amount levied on the land. The 
village fathers thus obtained immediate control 
and oversight of their own property, and thus 
was Pawtucket first started as a separate com- 
munity. The Wilkin.sons built a fire engine 
for the district at a co.st of $35,^, which was 
delivered April 25, i''^03, and continued to be 
used until December, 1S44. 

The names of the incorporators of the 
fire district were : Oziel Wilkinson, Timotln- 
Greene, Benjamin Arnold, Je,s.se .Salisbury, 
Stephen Jenks, Nathaniel Croade, Jerathmeel 
Jenks, Eleazer Jenks, Nathaniel Walker, Jr., 
Otis Tiffany, Arnold Jenks, Abraham Wilkin- 
son, Jacob Cushman, Nathaniel B. Dexter, 
John Pitcher, George Jenks, Sylvanus Brown, 
David Wilkinson, Smith Wilkinson, Caleb 
Greene, Amariah Marsh, Azatus vSweetland, 
Isaac Wilkinson, Nathaniel Walker, Daniel 
Wilkinson, .Samuel Bensley, Josiah Miller, 
William Bagley, Eleazer Jenks, Jr., Remember 
I. Gage, John Field, George Nicholas, liphraim 
Miller, Abraham Rice, Jonathan Fuller, James 
Prince, Ichabod Taber, Roger Alexander, Levi 
Jenks, Bowers Armington, William Bagle\', Jr., 
Daniel Carjienter, Esek Jenks, James Hopkins. 



Nehemiah Harrows, James Weeden, Jesse Hop- 
kins, Thomas vS])ear, Barnabus Carey, Cromwell 
Hill, Ho.sea Humphrey, James Mason, .Samuel 
Slater, George Rol)inson, Constant Martin, Wil- 
liam Almy, Obadiah Brown and Thomas Arnold. 
The fire district charter was amended bv 
the legislature at various times. In 1.S25 the 
district was empowered to erect buildings for its 
apparatus, to construct fountains and reservoirs 
for a water supply for fire pnrpo.ses, and to em- 
])l()y a hook and ladder com])any ; in i.S44the 




HUGH J. CARROLL, 



1890 ANO 1892. 



fire comjianx- was increa.sed from tweutv to 
thirt\' men. and all male inhabitants were made 
liable to taxation for di.strict pur}ioses : the 
bounds of the district were extended in 1.S47, 
and it was directed that all property .should 
thereatter be taxed at a uniform rate ; in 1S59 
the district was authorized to erect force pumps 
and hydrants, and lay pipes through the streets 
" for the conveyance of water for fire purposes;" 
and in is-n it was empowered to organize a fire 



ILI.rSTRATKD HISTORY ()F PAWTTCKKT 



(Icpartiiienl iiiukr Uil- ooiilrol of a chiul engineer 
and two assistants. 

'Vhv last aniendnient put the fire depart- 
nKiit on a modern basis. The first chief en 
gineer was Samuel S. Collyer, who served until 
his death in 1.S84. During the first year James 
Brown was fir.st assistant engineer and Joseph 
T. Greene second assistant engineer, and the 
department was called out .21; times, 14 times to 
fires in the district and the remainder to fires in 
adjacent territory. At the end of the year, 
March ,^i, 1S72, there were i.S hxdrants and 24 
reser\-oirs distributed throughout tlie territor\-. 
The district seems also to ha\e attended to the 
lighting of the .streets. 

A fire department was organized b> the 
I)eo]ile of the east side village early in the 
century. In the Slack tavern on Dec. 11, 
1S12, a meeting of the "proprietors of the 
engine in the \illage of Pawtucket, in the town 
of Seekonk," was held, of which Oliver Stark- 
weather was moderator, and William .Mien, 
clerk. Joseph Hucklin was chosen director oi 
the coni]xiny : Job W'heaton, vice-director; 
Benjamin Boweu, collector ; Addington Daven- 
port, messenger, and John French, Jr., clerk. 
The town appropriated. May 31, 1S3.S, the sum 
of $7,SO for the purchase of a fire engine. The 
east side jieople seem to ha\'e managed their 
fire fighting by a \'oluntary organization, with- 
out :in\ legal incorjioration, and with only occa- 
sional help from the town. 

After the consolidation of the two \illages, 
a paid department soon snjierseded the volun 
leer system. This change went into effect Jnl\- 
13, 1.S74, and an automatic fire alarm telegraph, 
with thirty-fi\e boxes, was ])ut in operation 
Xov. 14, 1S74. The department consisteil in 
1S78, of a chief engineer, two assistant en- 
gineers, and fifty-four men, of whom thirteen 
were jiermanenlly employed and the re.st were 



on call : and the ajijiaratus inchuled fi\e 
steamers, six hose carriages, and a hook and 
ladder truck, 'i^he department in 1895 con- 
sisted of tile three engineers, twenty-one per- 
manent men, and lliirt\-eight call men. and the 
a])paratus was tliree steamers, four chemical 
engines, with hose carriages attached, a large 
hose carriage, two ladder trucks and an aerial 
ladder. John Brierly succeeded Samuel S. 
CiillNer as chief engineer in 1884, and sen-ed 
until March i, 1896, when he was succeeded by 
the present chief, John W. W'illmarth. 

With the union of tlie two Pawtuckets a 
new era dawned. Through the increase and 
di\ersification of industry that had taken place 
in a marked degree from the time the railroads 
were built, the community had grown ra])idly, 
until in iS67the combined ]iopulation on both 
sides of the river, and ini-hiding Pleasant \'iew 
and Central Falls, was estimated at 17,068.* 
In 1869 this total had increased to 19,512, and 
in 1875, the year after the consolidation, Paw- 
tucket alone, which included Pleasant \'iew but 
omitted Central Falls, had 18.464 inliabitants. 
The population at each successive period of five 
\ears since that date exhibits clearly the con- 
tinuous growth: 1880, 19,030: 1885, 22,906; 
1890, 27,633; 1895, 32,577. The population 
of Central Falls in 1895 was 15,828. Thus the 
jiresent population of the two cities which 
actuall)- form one conunuuily, is now nearly 
50,fX)o, and has trebled in the last thirty years. 
After 1874, as a result of this rapid increa.se 
in jjopulation, the town meetings became 
nnwield\', and tliere cousequenth' arose a 
sentiment in favor of a cit\- go\erunient. .A 
nio\emeut, with that object in \iew, culminated 
in the adoption b\ the electors. A])ril i, 18S5, 
by a vote of 1,450 for to 721 against, of the act 

'Direenorv of rautiKki-l ami Ci-iUral I-'alls, lS(i!l-7li. 



THK CITY (lOVI'RNMl'tNT. 



131 



of incoriioraliim, \\ln\li went into effL-ct March 
27, 1.SS5. '1'Ik- town oiricLTs continued in au- 
thority until the end of tlie x'ear. The first cit\- 
election was held in December, and the citv 
government was organized Jan. i, 18.S6. 

The members of the first city government 
were : Mayor — Frederic C. vSayles ; Aldermen — 
Oren S. Horton, I'Mward Smith, Ansel I). Nick- 
erson, Frederick A. Barker, William H. Salis- 
bury : Councilnien — Jo.seph E. Jenckes, presi- 
dent. Proctor C. Lull, Daniel A. Jillson, 
Frederick H. White, Elisha W. Bucklin, Isaac 
Gill, Henry C. McDuff, I'hilo 
E. Thayer, Charles C liurn- 
ham, Alonzo E. Pierce, Hiram 
S. Johnson, George L. Walker, 
Jame.s Collins, Matthew J. Ban- 
non and John Walker; City 
Clerk— Alden W. Sibley; City 
Treasurer — George E. Newell ; 
Chief of Police — Oliver H. 
Perry. 

Mr. Sayles was mayor for 
two years. His succes.sors have 
been Almon K. Goodwin, who 
served in iSSS and iS.Sy, and 
again in iSyi ; Hugh J. Car- 
roll, in 1890, and also in 1.S92 ; 
James Brown, 1893, and Henry E. Tiepke, the 
I)resent incumbent, who has been in office since 
1S94. With the exception of Mr.' Carroll all 
the ma\()rs have been elected on the Kepuljlican 
ticket. Mr. Sibley is still city clerk and Mr. 
Perry chief of police, but Mr. Newell was suc- 
ceeded as city treasurer in July, i8gi, by the 
jiresent incumbent of the ofTice, Frank Ma.\- 
Hates. 

Hy the city charter the government of the 
munici])alil>- is vested in the ma.\-or, the boaiil 
of aldermen and the common council. The 
mayor is the chief executive ofilcer, has the 





power to call meetings of the two bodies, is the 
presiding officer of the board of aldermen, and 
every action recpiiring the concurrence of both 
branches of the city council must receive his 
signature in order to become legal at once. If 
he neglects to sign, the act or resolution be- 
comes effective at the end of ten days, but he 
can return any such act or resolution with his 
oljjectious to it as a whole or any part of it, and 
the measure can then only be pa.ssed by a two- 
thirds vote over his veto, but in any given case 
the parts to which he does not object become 
law at the end of the legal 
limit. The board of aldermen 
is a semi-executive body, has 
the appointing of the members 
of the ])olice force on the nom- 
ination of the ma\'or, and has 
al -o control of that department ; 
has the ])ower of granting li- 
,^^^ censes and permits, and in gen- 

J^^^^ eral is a board of control and 

'^^^^^^^ executi\e council. The 

^^^^^^H conunou council is the legisla- 
J^^^^^l body of the city. all 

— ^-^WI^^HBi the measures pas.sed by it ex- 
cept those directly affecting its 
own members or organization 
must be concurred in by the board of alder- 
men to liecome law. The two bodies working 
concurrently con.stitute the city council, and have 
the entire supervision of the affairs of the city. 
The mayor and the members of the city council 
are elected by the people, but all other city offi- 
cers are elected by the city council. The city is 
divided into five wards, two on the east side and 
three on the west side, and each ward elects one 
alderman and three councilmen. 

The first bridge at the falls not only served 
as a means of general travel in early colonial 
times, but was also an extremely efficient bond 



FRED. F. HALLIDAY, JR 



ILI.IUSTR AT!'. I) HISTORY () 1' 1' AW" 'P T C K I-T. 



t)f union lic-twL'L-n the two \i Haifa's. I'or ;i liiUi; 
period a great deal of uncerlainty existed as to 
whose duty it was to maintain and repair the 
structure.' Alter thc' re\'ohition, and esi)eoiall\' 
after the beginning' of the century, the peojile in 
the vicinity were vitalh' interested in Inning it 
maintained in good condition so as to accommo- 
date their increasing liusini'ss. The freshet of 
h'eli. 15, I Soy, carried a\\a\ the western end. 
Abraham Wilkinson, wlio then represented 
North Pro\'idence in tlie (icneral Assendilv, 




JOHN M. FOURNIER, 
OF FOURNIER i SCHILLER CO. 



was appointed a committee to repair the bridge, 
and the expense was liorne by the state. It 
was rebuilt in 1S17, at the expense of North 
Providence, under the direction of the snr\e\or 
of highways, John W. Dexter. In iS;,2 it was 
again reconstructed, Clarke Sa\les and Isaac 
Ellis superintending the work, and the cost 
was about $1,600, of which the town of North 
Providence paid $600 and the balance was 



♦Chapter 4, p. 47; North Proviileiioc Centennial, 



p. 8(). 



raised li\ the voluntary subst-riptions of the 
injiabitants on both sides of the ri\-er. 

As a result of a legislati\e in\estigation in 
iS.vj, ])rom]ited by I'.dward S. Wilkinson and 
.Steplun Randall, Jr., then rei)reseiitatives of 
North Providence, the bridge was decided to 
be state i)ro]iert\'. The Oeneral Assend)ly ac- 
Lordingl\- passed an act. May, 1S4C), directing 
tin- agent of the Providence an<l Pawtucket 
turniiike, which was then a state road, to take 
charge of the bridge and kee]) it in re])air. A 
C(nnniittee consisting of Ste])lien Randall, Jr., 
("lideon I,. ,Spt.'ncer and I-Mwaril ,S. Wilkinson, 
was appointed b\' the (ieneral Assend)l\-. March, 
1.S42, to rebuild the bridge. I'nder the direc- 
tion of these three men a new and substantial 
wooden bridge was built 1)\- Albert Cottrell in 
1S43, at a cost of $,^,000, which sum was derived 
from the turn])ike receipts. 

This bridge endured until the summer of 
1S5S, when it was replaced by the ])resent sul.)- 
stantial stone structure, which cost $15,000. 
To raise this mone\- the Fire District of Paw- 
tucket was authorized to issue bonds to the 
amount of $12,000, which sum it was at first 
estimated would be sulTicient. The Rhode 
Island General A.s,sembly directed that the in- 
come of the Providence and Pawtucket turnpike 
be used to jiay the principal and interest of this 
indebtedness, and that any deficienc\- be made 
good from the state treasur\'. The extra $3,000 
was obtained from the towns of North Providence 
and Pawtucket, Mass., each contributing $1,500 
by special \-ote in theii' town meetings. 

The bridge was Iniilt 1)\' Luther Kingsley 
of b'all Ri\er. on plans designed 1)>- Samuel B. 
Cushing of Providence, under whose supervision 
as engineer the construction was carried on. 
Lewis I'airbiother, ICnoch Krowii and Daniel 
Wilkinson were the commissioners a]ipointed 
bv the state to build the liridge. 



Til 



r.RiDci'S ()\i;r the rlackstone. 



'33 



To Ivdward S. W'ilkinsdii, hdwcxcr, is due 
a great deal of the credit of bringing the matter 
to a successful issue. The plan of the bond 
issue was suggested by him, in order to oxer- 
come the objection that tlie state could not 
appropriate mone\' because the debt limit was 
almost reached. The destruction of the fild 
bridge was begun July 6, and the new mie was 
opened for tra\el Nov. 4, 1.S5S, when a ])ublic 
celebration was held, with a procession, a 
dinner, music and s])eeches.* 

As po])ulatiou increased, other bridges 
were foiuul necessnr\-. The next in age to 
the one at the falls is the Mill .street brid.ge 
connecting Central Falls with the northeastern 
])art of I'awtucket. This was built in 1S27, as 
the result of the efforts of John Kennedy, then 
a prominent manufacturer in Central Falls, who 
raised the money chiefly 1)>' subscriptions from 
the citizens of that \illage. The original struc- 
ture was replaced liy the present iron bridge, 
erected in iSji at the joint expense of the towns 
of Smithfield and Pawtucket. 

A wooden bridge was built in iSs_^, fnjm 
Central Falls to Pleasant \'iew, at what is now 
Central avenue. It was designed to afford 
access to the latter neighborhood which had 



*Nortli Providence Centennial, p. 90; Benedict's 
Reminiscenses, No. 41*. 



just been o])ened u]). In 1.869 tl'is was suc- 
ceeded by the iron bridge which now spans the 
stream there, erected at a cost of about $14,000, 
borne equally by Pawtucket and Smithfield. 

The Exchange street iron bridge was 
erected in 1.S71-2, at a cost of $30,000, by 
Pawtucket and North Providence, and was 
ojiened for travel May p,. 1.S72. The Division 
street bridge, a magnificent viaduct of .stone, 
spanning the river a third of a mile below the 
falls, was erected after the consolidation of the 
towns in 1.875, at an ex])ense of $95,000. 

The three lower bridges are now owned 
and nuiintained by the city of Pawtucket, and 
the t'.vo upper ones by Pawtucket and Central 
Falls conjointly. They have all .served to bind 
and knit the two sides of the river together. 
The growth of the community is indicated by 
the necessity for each bridge successively, .so 
that their erection marks well defnied stages 
toward the social, industrial and political unit\- 
that so far has been achieved. 



NoTK. — The Centennial of the town of North Prov- 
idence was celebrated June 24, ISG."), in Pawtucket, bv a 
procession, followed bj- a gathering in the First Baptist 
church, where the Rev. Massena Goodrich delivered 
an historical address. This was published in book 
form, together with an account of the proceedings and 
reports of the speeches at the dinner held after the 
exercises, and the volvinie also contains the reminis- 
cences of Davitl A\'ilkinsi>u. 



CHAPTER XI. 



C.KOWTII AS RI'.STI.T Ol- IXTRODrCTION OF COTTON ISIAXT'l' ACTTR !■: 
INIirSTKIAI. DICVI'. I.OI'MlvNT. 



ri;ci-;nt 



C< >'I"I'()X s])iiiiiiin; liaviiio- been successiulh' 
iiuuiiL^uraled and the allied indnstr\- of 
niachiner>- buildini;' tle\-e]o]K-d, the con- 
ditiuns were fmnrable for the growth of the 
conumtnitN' on both sides of the river at Paw- 
tucket. \'et with these advantages tlie increase 
in ])opulation was slow, and the pla;-e enier^eil 
\er\ i;radnall\- from ils.\illai;e condition. 

The introduction of cotton S|)innini;, while 
it was the first step in the direction of the factor> 
system, operated at the beginninu; to strengthen 
•and extend domestic industry b>- furnishing an 
increased amount of work that could lie done in 
dwellings. Hand-Iooni weaxing received a great 
impetus, and a new occupation, cotton picking, 
was created. The effect of both these callings, 
thus conducted, was not to aid in the growth of 
a centralized conimunit\-, but rather to conserve 
tlie habit of the people, alreadv formed as a 
result of agricultural and pastoral life, of living 
in isolated dwellings scattered o\er a large 
extent of territory. The successful introduction 
of the mechanical cotton jjicker during the first 
decade of the century, and of the jxiwcr loom in 
the second decade, changed this condition of 
affairs radicallv, and com])elled tlie assend>ling 
of all the work people engaged in the cotton 
manufacture in one place. By tliis means the 



new industry was divorced frcmi its rural associ- 
ations, the people were all emplo\ed in the 
factories, and were obliged to li\e near them, 
new social combinations were e\-ol\ed. and the 
thorougjdy modern phenoneina known as the 
factory system resulted. 

Meanwhile, as I'awtucket wa,^ the ])lace 
where this social and industrial e\<ilntion had 
begun, and as its industries soon centered 
around cotton spinning and the building of 
cotton machinery while it had no commerce, 
its growth necessarily de])ended on the increa.se 
of its factories. With the in\ention of the 
jiower loom the natural inference would be that 
the I'awtucket manufacturers and people, 
Inning been trained in the other lines of the 
industr\ , would (|uickl\ a\ail themseh'es of the 
new device' : that here a great increase in 
industr>- wduld at once occur : and that the 
])lace would In-come the leader in the manu- 
facture and wduKl increase greati\- in popula- 
tion. .Such, however, was not the result. The 
people had been educatt'd in independence 
through the long continuance of the highest 
foiin ol the domestic s\steni, and nian\' sjiecial 
and diverse forms of indnstrx had arisen, called 
forth li\- the attempt to minister to the necessities 
ot the manufacturers for a large variety of 



s MA I.I. I xnrsTR n: s at Tirr: iwlls. 




FARWELL WORSTED MILL, CENTRAL FALLS. 



sup])lies. To accoiniiiodate tliese small iiulus- 
tries the available sites for niamifacturing- around 
the falls, and on Sargeant's trench, not already 
occiqiied 1)\' the original cotton sjiinning 
factories and the forges of the Jenkses and the 
Wilkinsons, were i)racticall\' all utilized bv the 
time tliat the jiower loom became an effecti\-i.- 
machine. Conseqiientlv there was little room 
for industrial expansion. 

The water ])Ower was all in use. Not to its 
full cai)acil\-. it is true, but local jealousN' 
between the two x'illages, ilifferences among the 



water power owners, and litigation about Sar- 
geant's trench and the other water ]iri\ileges, 
as well as about property available for manu- 
facturing near the river, all operated to prevent 
such a combination and consolidation of interest 
as would have been necessary to liring about 
the best results. The area along the river 
banks where tlie factories could be located was 
so limited that unless some such wise course 
had been taken the natural advantages could 
not be imjiroxed to their fullest extent. This 
course was not taken. 



136 



ILLl'STk ATi;i) HISTORY OF 1' AW T I" C K IvT 



W'hile Lowell, Lawrence, Manchester. N. 
H.,and l-'all Ri\er, the principal nianulacturini; 
centres that arose after the power loom came into 
use, owed their success to their great water 
jiowers, care(ull>' managed, usually by one com- 
pany, and to the tad that there was also in each 
case ])lent\' of room for mill sites, I'awlucket 
had lo contend against a divided ownershij), 
and the disagreements and antagonisms alreadx' 
ontlinetl. Instead of becoming a great cotton 
mill centre it has alwa\s remained a hive of 
diversified industry, and the cotton manufacture 
within its borders has largely continued in the 
original lines of yarn, thread, and special forms. 

Although this has resulted in a much slower 
growth than in the cases of the exclusively 
cotton manufacturing cities and many of the 
smaller towns which have followed the same 
process of develoiMUent, >'et it is undoubtedly 
a much safer process, tends more to permanence, 
gives more securit\- for the future, and builds 
up a comnuinit\- with uhimatel\' more power, 
coherence antl character, I'awtucket's growth, 
although slow, has thus been gratifxiug. and 
with this outlook the ho])e for the future is 
reassuring. 

The starting of the first factories on the 
east side, the New mill of .Samuel Slater iS: Co. 
in iSoi and the \'ellow mill in 1S05, necessitated 
the erection of a few more dwellings and in- 
crea.sed the population to nearly the number on 
the west side. About iSi.i there was another 
expansion of the industry in the two villages, 
both in the cotton maiuifacture and in machin- 
ery building, resulting substautiall\- in the 
occupation of all the water privileges. On the 
east side, the Wilkinson & Greene mill and the 
Stone mill south of the bridge were put in opera- 
tion, and on the west side a little before this 
time, about iSki, (J/.iel Wilkinson's stone mill 
had been started and Timotlu' Oreene had con- 



verted his taiuier\- into a cotton mill. David 
Wilkinson, l''lea/er and .Slephen Jenks, Larned 
Pitcher and others were engaged in the con- 
struction of machinery, and Barne\ Merr\ hud 
established a bleacher\ and d\eing business 
about |S()5. 

Many of the houses of the conunon sort 
still standing in both sections of the cit\- date 
from this period. Examples ma\ be fountl on 
I'.lm, Water and Main streets on the east, and 
on Xorth Main, Pleasant and High streets on 
the west side. 

Almy. Pjrown & .Slater erected an eight- 
family tenement house for their hel]i on .Mill 
.street. It stood with its end to the street, was 
known as '"the long house" and occu])ied a 
])ortion of the site of the jiresent Littlefield block. 
When that structure was erectetl it was rcmo\ed 
to the rear of that edifice, where it is still 
standing in a dilapidated condition. 

At this period a lutndier of substantial busi- 
ness blocks which are still in existence were 
built. The Pawtucket hotel, now known as the 
Dorrauce building, cm'ner of Main and Xorth 
Main streets, and the LeFavour block, known 
at one time as the Hank Iniilding, which was 
taken down when High street \vas widened, 
were erected about iSiv The lillis block, on 
the east side at the junction of Main street anil 
Broadway, was erected about 1S20. 

The substantial and prosperous citizens, 
some of whom had become rich, erected fine 
dwellings at this period. lvarl\- in the centur\- 
Abraham Wilkinson erected his mansion house, 
which is still standing at 23 and 27 Fast a\enue. 
The T\ler building on the corner of .Main street 
and Ha.st avenue, half of which was recentlx' 
cut away to widen the latter street, was erected 
about i.S(H) !)>■ Major ICbeiie/er Txler, and 
was then the onl\- three-story dwelling in the 
place. 



CROW Til oi 



HI". \" 1 1. LACKS. 



'37 



The l)rick edifice at 67, 69 and 71 JCast 
avenue, known as the Slater homestead, was 
erected 1)\ .Sanuiel vSIater's second wife soon 
after their marriage, and she occupied it after 
Mr. Slater's death until her own decease in 1 859. 
The construction of this house was originally 
begun b\- Hezekiah Howe, a brother-in-law of 
David Wilkin.son, but he sold the ])roi)ert\- to 
Mrs. Slater before it was completed, February 
22, 1819, for $6500. It is still in a good state of 
presentation. 

Barney Merry, the pioneer d\er and 
bleacher, built his home- 
stead next adjoining Mr. 
Slater's house on the 
.south. It was enlarged 
and improved by his son 
and grandson, and yet ]ire- 
sents a fine appearance, at 
77, 79 and 81 Ea.st avenue. 
About 1S20 the Re\-. 
Dr. David Benedict erected 
a house on the nfirthwest 
corner of Broad and Main 
streets and resided in it 
until it was replaced l>y 
the present hotel, the 
Benedict house, in 1871.' 
A number ol houses 
were built about 1820 on 
Oziel Wilkinson's old grass 
field. Among them were 

the Pearce house where the Weeden building is 
now, and the dwelling of Daniel Clark, located 
on the present site of the Conant building, cor- 
ner of Main street and Park place. 

On the east side, Oliver vStark weather erec- 
ted his mansion house about 1800, and Col. 
Slack built his brick hou.se in 18 15. I'-or a 

n-awUicket Directory, 18Gi)-70. 




ANSEL D, 
S AGENT 



long ])eriod these two were the finest dwellings 
in Pawlucket on either side of the ri\'er. 
The Walcotts and Pitchers, who were in- 
terested in the cotton manufacture and other 
industries, erected mansion houses about the 
same time. The fir.st named family gave their 
name to a ])ortion of the old road. Benja- 
min v*^. Walcott's residence was erected in 
1814, is .still in exi.stence and is known as the 
Darius Coff homestead, on Walcott, Arlington, 
and .Ma\nard streets. The original dwelling of 
Henry Smith must have been somewhere in this 
vicinity, when the old road 
was laid out in 17 16, as it 
was then about a quarter 
of a mile from the county 
road, now known as North 
and South Bend. The H. 
B. De.xter house, corner of 
M a y n a r d a n d Walcott 
streets, was built by Ben- 
jamin Pitcher, while E. B. 
Pitcher's house stood 
where Lyman B. Coff's 
residence is now, and 
Larned Pitcher, the first 
])arlner of James S. Brown 
in machinery building. 
li\ed in the old mansion 
now occu])ied 1)\- the To 
Kalon Club. 

In 1819 the village on 
the Rho<le Island side was built on four 
.streets. Main, Pleasant, Mill and High, and 
contained "eighty-three dwelling houses, 
twehe mercantile .stores, two churches, a 
]30st ofTice, an incorporated bank, an academy 
and two or three flouri.shing schools." There 
were then ten cotton mills in the town of 
Xorlli Pro\idence, three of which, — the largest 
ol the number, — were located at Pawtucket. 



NICKERSON 

ROM THIRD WARD 



138 



I M.r strati:!) history of pawtick i;t. 



There were also " six shops eiii^aj^ed in the 
luamifacture ol machinery, haviiii; the advan- 
tage of water power, anil various other mechan- 
ical estahlishnients, affordiiit!; extensive enii>l(i\ 
nient and supportinj;- a dense ])o]>nlali<)n." The 
villa>;e on the east side was about ei|ual in size.' 

In this modest manner Pawlncket was 
growing when it encountered a serious reverse 
l)v the failure of a number of its manufacturers 
during the panic of 1S21-J. Samuel Slater was 
able to weather the storm, but in his expressive 
language l)a\i<l Wilkinson had " gone down 
the falls," and almost carried Slater with him. 
Abraham and Isaac Wilkinson made an assign 
men! of all their jirojiertx- earl\ in June. Their 
failure had been precipitated b\- the assignment 
of W. cS: S. H. Harris, of Valley I'alls, for 
whom they had endorsed, and who had taken 
this cour.se without nolifxing the Wilkinsons. 
Joseph CTreeiK- tS: .Sdu and John C.anlner made 
an assigtnnent June is, iSjij, and l)a\id Wil- 
kinson's failure occurred early in Jul\'. Con- 
sternation reigned in I'awtucket. Man\- tif the 
mills and sho])S were stopped, and apprehension 
was general that more disasters were to follow. 

The Wilkinsons did not reco\-er from the 
effects of this financial storm. Someof their 
mills, both in I'awtucket and elsewhere, were 
idle for a j)eriod and then ]iassed into other 
hands. The two older brothers, Abraham and 
Isaac, never resumed active business, but li\ed 
the remainder of their life on what had been 
saved from the wreck, allowing their children 
and relatives to carry on such jiortions of the 
business as still remained. I)a\id left Paw- 
tucket and devoted his great energies and 
abilities to the service of other communities. 

The loss of the enterprise and services of 
these energetic and cajiable men. who were all 

•Ilislury uf Relu)l)olli. p. SX,. 



mechanics of extraordinar\- abilitx'. was a great 
mislortune lor I'awlni'kel. 'Pile ciunnuniit\' 
was thereby deprived of a potent means of 
])rogress, — a source of life, — the lack of 
which no doubt retarded the growth of the 
place for man\- \ears. In fact for a long 
jx-riod after this date Pawtuckel was indus- 
triall\- stagnant. 

'i'lie Pawtncket manufacturers, especiall\- 
the Wilkinsons, were more interested in extend- 
ing their luisiness than in looking alter its care- 
ful financial management. Then, too, the 
jirevalence of the credit system and its abuse, 
the manufacturers leaning on one another un- 
ilul\- b\- endorsing each other's ]iaper, brought 
aliout results that have been conunon both 
liefore and since in periods of depression. Poor 
methods of manufacturing, doing business on 
credit, and the general state of the currenc\ of 
the countr\-, were all elements in ])recipitating 
this crisis. The Wilkinsons were certaiid\- 
among the most capable of the manufacturers oi 
these times, but they had Ijorrowed and in- 
X'ested so largeh' that when the credit ])anic 
came on the>- cou^d not retrie\'e themseh-es in 
time. 

After iS;,o the iiulustr\ of Pawtncket slowlv 
increasetl. In the cotton manufacture, firms suc- 
ceeded eat'h other fre(|Uentl\^ and nian\- changes 
were made in partnerships. In some of the old 
mills the manufacture was carried on in a small 
wa\, man\- of the concerns only occupying a 
single floor, and the chief sjiecialty of these 
minor nuuuifacturers was \arn. 

The stone mill on the west side, built b\' 
O/.iel Wilkinson, came into jiossession of Thomas 
I.,eFavour and William k'ield after i.sjij, and 
they maiuifactured cotton cloth in it for a num- 
ber of years. It ultimalel> came wholly into 
the jiossession of the lormer and was Ion;.; known 
b\ his name. 



TlIIv OLD MILLS. 



139 



Tile Yellow mill and the ulil Stniie mill on the east side 
were both operated as general cotton mills for a period, l)ut 
they passed through many vicissitudes and changes of owner- 
ship. The former became in iS6jihe property of the Bridge 
Mill Manufacturing Co., which made cotton linings and sheet- 
ings, but was con\-erted afterwards into a ])a])er mill. The 
latter went throu.gh an experience as varied. Hotli are now 
the propert\- ot I), (joff 6c Sons. 'IMie Stone mill has been 
almo.st wholly demolished, the eastern end only reniaiuiug, and 
the Bridge mill, as the old Yellow mill has long been called, 
is ver\' much altereil from its original condition. 

The old Slater mill was successively enlarged as business 
increased, but after Slater sold 
out his interest in iS2y itdoes 
not appear to figure in an im- 
portant wa\ in the industries 
of the place. It ])as,sed Ijy 
inheritance from Almy &: 
Brown into the possession of 
William Jenkins, who married 
a daughter of William Almy, 
whose wife Sarah was a 
daugliter of Moses Brown. 
Moses Brown Jenkins inher- 
ited the pro])ert\- from his 
father William Jenkins, and 





GEO. C. DOUGLAS, 

NO CORSET LACE 




F. WARREN BAXTER, 

UPHOLSTERER AND FURNITURE DE 



PETER LENNON, 
WHOLESALE GROCERIES AND C 



-old the old null estate to Dr. 
Sanuiel Boyd Tobey, Feb. 15, 
iSs6. Henry Jerauld & Son 
imrchased the pro'pertx' in 
Ai)ril, 1S56, from Dr. Tobey. 
The new owners were al.so 
\arn spinners. The succes- 
si\e owners since then have 
been h'rancis Pratt, Job L. 
Spencer, lirastus Samjison. 
Gideon L. Spencer and his 
heirs. Cotton spinning has 
always been carried on in the 
old structure ; but. like other factories in I'awtncket. man\ 
other imlnstries ha\e also been conducted within it walls. 
The top floor is now used as a bicycle riding school by 
Henr\- L. S]>encer. 

The old mill privilege used b\' Thomas .Vrnold for a 
flour mill late in the last century and early in this was 
owned in iS;,5 by Xiles Manchester, Hannah and David 
Wilkinson and William l-'ield. At this location David R\<ler, 
C.eorge L. and Alfre<l H. Litllelield, under the name of David 
Rvder & Co., began the manufacture of yarn in i^.s:;. Mr. 
R\der retired in 1S57, and the lirm then took the name of 
Littlefield Bros. .Since Jul\ i, 1X89, the business has been 
conducted b\- a corporation luuler the name of the Littlefield 



140 



I I,I.rSTRA'lM';i) HISTORY ( ) 1' 



AWTl'CKI-T 



Manufacturing- Company, the ofiict-rs of which 
are Alfred H. Littlefield, president; I'.ben X, 
Littlefield, treasurer. Tlie company manufac- 
tures skein (]iound ) sewing cottons ; first (piality 
cop yarns for hosiery ; three-cdrd llireads for 
spooling in all numbers : seaming cottons and 
harness and jirinters' twines. 'IMie ])resent mill 
is a comparatively recent structure. It is on the 
west side of the river, in the rear of the Manches- 
ter Mock, and is run In- l)oth steam and water, 
the total horse-power being al)out Jno. The 
main building is of wood, four stories in height 
and 130 by 4.S feet in size, while an ell of three 
stories is 105 by 30 feet. The number of oper- 
atives emploxed is 135, the capacity of the plant 
is 7000 spindles. The office of the corporation 
is in the brick block on North Main street. 
The corporation finds a ready sale for its entire 
product, and it is selling agent for other mills. 

The Stone mill, built in 1824 on the site of 
the White mill, the first cotton factor\- on the 
Rehoboth side of the rix'er, was ojjeraled from 
i.s^o to i.Ssi by the Walcott Manufacturing Co., 
and was engaged in the ])r(Kluct.ion of cotton 
cloth. Since that time it has been used as a 
woolen mill, thread factory and for a variety of 
other ]nirposes. 

The Wilkinson it C.reene mill at the east 
end of the upper dam was operated b\ C.eorge 
Wilkinson from iSjcjto 1X40, when it was run 
for a time b\- a firm composed ol James Brown. 
Amos A. Tillinghast and Henrv Jeraidd. Soon 
after it came into the ]iossession of Ca])t. N. ('.. 
B. Dexter, was o])erated b\- liini until his death 
and since then 1)\- his sons and their successors 
under the name successively of Dexter Brothers 
and the Dexter Yarn Co. 

The mill at the southwestern abutment of 
the l)ridg-e had a checkered career, .\fter the 
flood of i.Soj a factory was erected fin this site 
]>\ I'ardon and Jabi/. Jenks, and was first occni- 



pied, but only for a short ])eriod, b\- ICbenezer 
T\ler for yarn spinning. I'rom about 1S21 it 
was known as the Butfington mill, but was 
burned in i S44 and re])laced b\- the factory of 
the I'awtnckct Manufacturing Co., in which 
ICllis and ISenjamin Pitcher, Alanson 'l'ha\er, 
Menr\- Jerauld and others were ])artners. Aliout 
I Sh5 this company was succeeded by Matteson 
Simpson. Under these successi\-e changes 
cotton cloth was manufactured, but about iSj6 
it was converted into a thread mill, and finall\- 
it was made over into stores. 

On the site of the Wilkinsons' ol<l anchor 
shop, Payne & Ta\ lor in 1N34* erected the edi- 
fice that now spans Sargeant's trench in the 
rear of Main street, from Jenks lane to P'ast 
avenue. The propert\- was purcliased from 
(leorgf \\'ilkins<5n, son of Abraham Wilkinson. 
A \-ariet\' of industry has alwa\'s lieen carried 
on in tliis building, including the manufacture 
of haircloth, engraving foi' calico printers, 
jewelers' findings and other lines. Thus, in a 
measure, the cxamjile of the earl\- mechanics 
has been followed, and the locality has always 
lieen noted for mechanical ingenuit>- anil versa- 
tility. In the numerous other buildings on the 
area once known as the "coal \ard," including 
(treene's mills, the old forge and gristmills and 
all others which were h.caled in this crowded 
section, the same conditions ha\e prevailed. 

The completion of the Providence and 
Worcester railroad in 1847-cS made possible the 
location of factories to the westward of the old 
\illage. .\ nundier of the large sho]is in this 
neighborhood date from that ])eriod, and the 
industrial growtli was thereafter along the line 
of the railroad rather than on the ri\-er banks. 
The Boston and Providence railroad which was 
opened in June, 1835, had no jiercejitilile influ- 

* Ik-iiLcUi't's Kiniiiiiscences, Nos. '2- and 4(1. 




HENRY B. DEXTER, 

FOUNDER OF THE RHODE ISLAND CARD BOARD CO. 



I!r I I. 1)1 XC, OI' RAILROADS. 



141 



ence (irii;inall\- uii tlit- (k-vcldiuiu-m n| I'aw- 
tiicket, as it jjassed 1)\- Uk- Idwii far to the 
eastward and (inly (.-ntered the territory at tlie 
extreme southeastern corner, lull\ three miles 
from the falls b\- aii\ availabk- mad. When the 
Pnn'idence and Worcester lailroad was ])n)- 
jected one ol the first proposals was to run the 
line alonj^ the route of the Blackstone canal, 
leaving Pawtucket a couple of miles to the east- 
ward. This would have been the easiest route 
for the road, along the old pre-glacial valley of 
the Blackstone, and would 
have saved much labor in 
excavating and l)lasting ; 
but P a w t u c k e t w o u 1 d 
thereby ha\e been sur- 
rounded by railroads with- 
out being reached b\' them. 
Fortunately better councils 
prevailed and the railroad 
was laid out as it now 
exists. 

In I S4,s the Hostt)n and 
Providence road , recog- 
nizing the advantage of the 
location and ternnnus of 
the Providence and Wor- 
cester in ])assing through 
Pawtucket and entering 
Providence, built a connec- 
tion which joined the latter road at Central 
Falls and used this branch thereafter as its 
main line. Pawtucket became again in this 
manner, as it had been in old times, the con- 
verging point of the nr.iin lines of tra\'el, and 
its progress was correspondingly accelerated. 

Within the jiast deca<le a number of indus- 
trial establishments lune been located in the 
southwestern part of the city along the line of 
the railroad, and also on the ohl road to Pro\i- 
dence. This section is now known as \\"ood- 




JUDGE THOMAS ROBINSON 



lawn, and within its limits are the ancient 
settlements of the Comstocks and Ivstens, who 
were among the first inhabitants of the territory. 
Among the concerns which now have modern 
factories here are the J. M. Carpenter Ta]) & 
Die Co., the llojie Webbing Co., the Xarragan- 
setl Machine Co. and the Robert D. Mason Co. 
Woodlawn is also a pleasant residence district. 
The railroad has a station here, and the branch 
railroad to vSaylesville .starts from Woodlawn. 
No freight station was erected in Pawtucket 
until 1S56, as at first it was 
thought the ])lace would 
only be a passenger 
station. In i.Ssg there was 
onl\ one express wagon 
running to the depot, and 
the force of em])lo>ees 
consisted of the baggage- 
master, one laborer and 
the station-ma.ster, D. R. 
.\rnold, who also acted as 
clerk, ticket-seller and ex- 
press-agent. 

A branch railroad, 
built from \'alley Falls to 
India Point in 1S74, tra- 
verses the east side of the 
t e r r i t o r \- of the c i t >■ . 
When the long contem- 
plated improvements in the terminal facilities 
at Providence are completed by the construction 
of an elevated road from Fox Point to the new 
station, and the building of a bridge across the 
Providence ri\er, this road will be an imjior- 
tant segment of the belt line which is then to be 
put in oiieration, and will undoubtedly con- 
tribute largely to the upbuilding of this section 
of Pawtuckefs territory. Since June, 1S96, two 
passenger trains each way have been run over 
this line, stop to leave and take passengers here, 



142 



I I.LrSTk AT !•; I) HISTORY OV 1' AW T r C K I'.T. 



ami altnrd diixcl L-onuiiunicalinii licitli willi 
ProvidfiK'c and Worcester. Meanwhile it has 
furnished exeellenl frei>;lit facilities, and along 
its line, on the ed;_;e of Seekonk plain, about a 
mile northeast from the falls, nian\ dwellings, 
factories and workshops ha\e within the ])ast 
few years been erected, forniini; the bus\ suburb 
now known as Darlington. .Xuiohl; the estab- 
lishments in the \icinit\ are those oi tin- l'liilli]is 
Insulated Wire Co., l'err\- Oil Co. , I'awtncket 
(ila/.ed Pajier Co., Orient Card and Paper Co., 
I*"astern AcKertising Co., J. J. Kenyon's liraid 
works, the late Henry C. .McDuff's extensive 
lumber _\'ards : U. iS: J. Roscoe, manufacturing 
chemists : V. V. Hallidax , vSr., ])atteru and 
cabinet maker ; and tlie Darlington stables 
for training horses. Out on the jilain is the 
Pawtucket driving park, of which Ivdwin 
Darling is a.gent. The railroad company 
owns twenty acres here, which is tised for a 
freight yard. 

By improvements in the methods of manu- 
facturing cotton goods, small mills have given 
])lace to big ones in which all the processes can 
l)j conducted on a large scale at a great econonu- 
of time and labor. This change has been going 
on for many years, and its effect on the small 
old mills at the falls here has been to interfere 
with theii" ]iros])erit\- and dri\-e them into sjiecial 
lines of cotton manufacture or into other forms 
of industry. But Pawtucket has in other local- 
ities secured in quite recent years large modern 
factories, so that its ]:)restige as a centre of the 
cotton manufacture has not passed away, al- 
though the habitat of the mills has changed and 
thej- are now operated by steam instead of water 
power. The i)rincii)al development of these 
modern cotton factories, as well as other large 
indu.stries, has taken place since about 1840, 
and at a greater rate since the close of the war 
of the rebellion. 



Sewing cotton was made b\- Samuel Slater 
\-ery soon after he .started his spinning machin- 
ery, and has ever since that period been manu- 
factured in Pawtucket. The true inventors of 
cotton thread arc said to have been the women* 
of the \\ ilkinsou tamil\ . They conceived the 
idea of a thread that would lake the i)Iace of 
linen, and by twisting \ arn on their domestic 
>pinniui; wheels made the first cotton thread in 
1792. The Wilkinson brothers were the first to 
begin the regular manufacture of thread. Of 
the great cotton manufactories in the cit\' at 
])resent, the largest concern is what was origin- 
all\ known as the Conant 'I'hread Comj)any, 
a Ijranch of the great manufacturing firm of J. 
iS: P. Coats, I^imited, with works in Paisley, 
Scotland, Canada and Russia. The Pawtucket 
works, started in 1S69, now consist of fi\e mills, 
employ over two thousand hands, and are en- 
gaged in the jiroduction of cotton thread ex- 
clusi\'eh'. 

C.reeue iS: Daniels, the next largest concern 
to J. (.S: P. Coats, began manufacturing thread at 
Central Falls in 1S55, although the experience 
of the senior partner dated back in that ])lace 
and in tliat industry to i>!24. The firm built a 
mill in Pawtucket, across the ri\er from Central 
P'alls, in 1.S60, and enlarged it to its jiresent 
dimensions in 1S66. 

The oldest special thread manufactory in 
the two cities was the Stafford Manufacturing 
Co., at Central Falls, a direct descendant of 
Willard & Adams, who began the manufacture 
there in 1M44, but the mills ha\-e been engaged 
chiefl\- in the yarn manufacture for many \'ears. 

Januar\- 1, iS.'-!6, Henry .\. Warburton and 
James Roth jjurcha.sed the thread manufacturing 
department of .Stafford & Co., of Pawtucket, and 
organized the business under the name of the 

♦Reminiscences of Horatio X. .Slater, 1884. 



r ]{]■. C r M H Iv R L A N D M 1 1, 1. S. 



143 



New England Tliix-ad Cn. Mr. \\'ail)nrl(in has 
been sole owner since May 24, iSSij, and the 
factory of the concern, corner of Cottage and 
Saunders streets, is one of the model industrial 
establishments of the city. Henry A. W'arbur- 
ton is president and treasurer, Frank K. War- 
burton, superintendent and general manager, 
and Henr\' A. Warburton, Jr., secretary. 

At Robliin Hollow, now known as the vil- 
lage of Cundierland Mills, on the .\bbott Run 
river, in the town of Cumberland, was a mill 
Iniilt in 179S and started in 1799 by some of the 
workmen who had been emjiloyed in the old 
Slater mill. After getting their machiner\- in 
operation, the sjiinners came to Pawtucket and 
marched past the old mill, each one with a 
bunch of cotton yarn in his hat, to show that 
they, too, as well as vSlater, could make yarn.* 
Elisha Waterman and Benjamin S. Walcott 
were the owners of this factory, and the claim 
has been made that it was the third sjiinning 
mill erected in the United States. After the 
introduction of the power loom it became a 
weaving as well as a spinning mill. It was 
destroyed by fire about 1S30. Soon after, 
Bennett \\'hi])ple and Palemon Walcott erected 
another mill on the site, which finally passed 
into the hands of Henry Marchant. and while 
in his po.ssession was burned in 1852 or 1S53. 
At that time William vSjiink was sujjerintendent. 
The place then remained in ruins tor two or 
three \ears, when Amasa Whipple erected a 
mill, which, unlike the preceding structures, 
instead of being used in the manufacture of 
cloth, became a thread mill. Mr. Whipjtle 
failed, and the mill jmssed into the hands of 
David R>der, who ojierated it until 1S61 or 
1S62, when for the third time fire destroye<l the 
mill. On the site of the original structure the 

•Historical Sketch of Pawtucket, p. 4!l. 




) 



ALFRED HARRISON 

URING CHEMIST, NORTH PROVIDEN 



jjresent factories of the Cumfjerland Mills were 
erected in 1S63, and were first put in operation 
June, 1S66. The first bale of cotton used at 
that time cost 4,^ cents a pound, and the yarn, 
which was sold on the cop, brought over 80 
cents a pound. The mills now consist of a 
main building, 86 by 46 feet, with an addition 
94 b\' 45 feet. The Cumberland Mills Co. was 
incorporated in i,S66, manufactures cotton j-arns, 
operates 6,290 spindles, and has a capital of 
Sioo,ooo. The officers are, Charles E. Per\-ear, 
l)resident : Olney Arnold, treasurer: and Fred- 
erick .\. Hoilon, agent. Asa Crowell is now 
superintendent. The New ICnglanil railroad 
from Providence to Boston passes through the 
village. 

One of the most successful industries in the 
cit\- is the manufacture of glazed yarn, carried on 
!)>• the Blodgett & Orswell Co. on Bayley street. 
The business was started in 1S83 by Edward 
O. Blodgett. He was succeeded by Blodgett & 
Orswell in 1S.S5, and the business was incoqior- 
ated under its present name in 1SS7. 



144 



ILLUSTKA'n: I) II I STORY o 



AW'ITC K ]{T 



TIr- niamUaclurt of cdUnn cloth never 
seems to lune been a iiopular or ])n)filal)le in- 
(luslrx in I'awtni'ket until the last (juarter of a 
centurw There are now, however, two lar.i;e 
concerns here that will conijjare favorably with 
anv similar establishments elsewhere, namely, 
the Slater Cotton Co., with factories on Church 
and Main streets, started in iS6y, and tlie 
United States Cotton Co.. which began o])era- 
tion in iSS;, in a lari^e factor\- in Central l'"alls. 
The latter mill was built b\- I'ales iS: Jenks in 
icS63, but was .sold by that firm in 1S65 to A. tS: 
\V. .Sjjrague, who greatly enlarged it, and o])er- 
ated it as a flax n\ill lor several \ears. As this 
iudustrv did not pax', the factorv was converted 
into a cotton mill and was running as such at 
the time of the vSprague failure in 1S73. 
The United .States Cotton Co. also has a small 
factorv- on the east side, on Division street, 
which was originally built in 1 Sr)y and ojierated 
bv the Ho])e Thread Co. l{ach of these cotton 
companies eni])lov' over six hundred hands. 

Darius (joff began in 1S40 the manufacture 
of cotton wadding and batting on the Palmer 
river in Rehoboth. but in 1S4J removed to Paw- 
tucket, and laid the foundations of the business 
from which the present great establishment of 
the Union Wadding Co. has grown. In 1.S61, 
in company with his eldest .son, Darius L., and 
W. F. and F. C. Sayles, Mr. Goff began the man- 
ufacture of worsted braids. .After various vicis- 
situdes, fires and removals, the .Savles brothers 
withdrew from the firm. Mr. (".off and his son 
returned to I'awtucket, ami in 1 Si')4 began to 
manufacture in the old Stone mill south of the 
bridge on the east side. The business increased 
and ])ros])ered. In 1872 the brick mill was 
erected and has since been enlarged and im- 
proved at various times. Moliair plush has also 
been made in the great factory since 1882. The 
works are entirely operated by water power, and 



are now conductt-d bv Darius I,, and Lvman 15. 
('.off, the sons of Darius ('.off, under the name 
of I), (".off iS: Sons. 

.\ unii|ne industry, originating in I'avv- 
tuckel, which has brought wealth to a few of its 
citizens and a livelihood to a great manv, is the 
manufacture of haircloth. This was begun in 
1 S.s''. but little success at first attended the effort. 
The members of the original conqianv were 
iMeeman P>a-\ter, David and James Rvder and 
C.eorge P. and Alfred H. Pittlefield. In 1S5S 
Gen. Olney Arnold bought Mr. Baxter's inter- 
est and Richard Ryder also became a partner. 
P'inallv, in 1S61, Isaac C. Lindslev, who had 
l)een engaged in trving to jierfect a loom to 
weave haircloth, succeeded in the attenqit, and 
the com])anv secured his patents and others, 
which gave it a monopoly of the manufacture. 
.\n incorporated company was organized May, 
iS'ii, with a capital of Sioo,ooo, under the name 
of the Pawtuckel Hair Cloth Co. The cajjital 
was subsequently increased to S^oo.ooo, and 
afterwards to S>500,ooo. David Ryder retired 
from the management in 1863. and Daniel G. 
pittlefield became superintendent and agent. 
Under his dn-eclion the large mill at Central 
P'alls was built in 18^4, and the machinery was 
set up and arranged. When the luisiness was 
first successfullv' started in I'awtucket only 
about a dozen operatives were emplo\-ed, but 
the factory now gives constant work to from 
125 to 150 hands. The haircloth loom is a 
wonderful jiiece ol automatic machinery. Hy 
the action of the mechanism a single hair is 
selected and .so placed as to be accuratelv woven 
into the fabric. Through Mr. Pittlefield's skill 
in management and in adjusting the machiuerv, 
and also because of the excellence of Mr. Pind- 
sley's invention, the company had the field to 
themselves, and the industrv was verv success- 
ful. Haircloth is u.sed for furniture coverings, 




u,((|/l 1 Uo (a. 



MODERN INDUSTRIAL K STA R I.ISH M E NTS. 



145 



ill crinolines or paddings, and for inter- 
linings in ladies' dresses and gentlemen's 
coats. Between one and two hundred 
thousand pounds of hor.se hair is used 
annually. The princii)al market for the 
product is in the United States. Much 
ol tile raw material is im])orted from 
Russia. The works co\er an area of 
37.639 .square feet, and the factory, 
corner of Mill and Cross streets. Central 
Falls, is one of the largest in the vicinity. 
In i,S93 the business of the Pawtucket 
Haircloth Co., the American Hair Cloth 
Padding Co., and the National Hair 
Seating Co., was consolidated under the 
name of the American Hair Cloth Co., 
but the manufacture is now all carried 
on in the Central P'alls factory. The 
officers of the company at present are, 
Henry B. Metcalf, president ; Jude 
Taylor, vice-president : Olney Arnold, 
trea.surer; and Cliarles K. Pervear, 
agent. 

The Hope Webbing Co., with a 
commodious brick factory, corner of 
Main and Lamed streets, W'oodlawn, 
said to be the large.st and best equip- 
ped mill of its kind in the United States, 
produces narrow woN-en fabrics of cotton, 
worsted, jute and silk, which are used for bind- 
ings for horse blankets and carpets, straps for 
boots and shoes, and material for dress stays, 
belts, and a great varietx- of otlier purposes. 
The company was incorporated and the mill 
built in 1889. At first only one hundred hands 
were employed, but now 350 are constantly en- 
gaged. The weekly production is 1,500,000 
yards. The officers are Hezekiah Conant, 
president; Charles Sisson, treasurer : O.scar A. 
Steere, .superintendent; Willis H. White, sec- 
retary and assistant treasurer. 




JOSEPH OTT, 

ND AGENT OF TM£ f 



The Harwell Worsted Mills. Central Falls, 
is the only concern in the community that man- 
ufactures worsted cloth for men's wear. The fac- 
tor\- was erected in 1S70 by Phetteplace & Sea- 
gra^•e of Providence, and was known for mam- 
years as the Central Falls Woolen Mill. In 
1S94. Frederick S. Farwell purdia.sed the 
property and proceeded at once to enlarge 
the plant. He renovated the buildings, erected 
additions, increa.sed the number of looms from 
39 to 109, and re-named the establishment after 
himself. Mr. Farwell from 1884 to 1894, con- 
ducted the National Worsted Mills on \-aIley 
street, Olneyville. He acted as superintendent 
and was the ])rincipal stockholder. Charles 



146 



ILL r STRATI' 1) HISTORY ( ) !• RAW T I' C K I'.T. 



Fk-tclRT, the noted wurstt-d \;ini iiianulaclurer, 
being his chief jiartner. In iSijj llie National 
Worsted Mills were consolidated with Mr. 
Fletcher's factories, the Providence Worsted 
Mills, in a new corporation l)y the name of the 
National and Pro\-idence Worsted Mills, and for 
eighteen months Mr. Farwell was sn])erinten- 
dent, when he resigned to o])erale his own fac- 
tors Mr. I'arwell is treasurer of the cominun'. 

The Lorraine Manufacturing Co., on the 
Mo.shassuck river. Mineral Spring avenue, is 
engaged in the production of fine worsted and 
cotton dress goods, shirtings and linings. The 
establishment is one of the most extensixe in the 
state, 1 100 hands are employed, and 7,500,000 
yards of goods are produced annually. The 
worsted mills cover an area of 200,000 square 
feet, and the cotton mills 75,000 square feet. 
The mills were started here in 1868, but pre- 
vious to that time a small cotton factory occupied 
the site. VJ . F. & F. C. Sayles are the present 
owners, and under their management the works 
have been greatly enlarged. 

John J. Kenyon began aliout 1870 the man- 
ufacture of silk finished, plain and fanc\- spool 
tapes and braids for manufacturers' use, and 
boot, shoe and corset lacings, shoe webs, staj- 
bindings, glazed yarns, spool cotton, braided 
clothes lines, tying-up twine, and other special- 
ties in those lines. For over a .score of years he 
was located in the rear of 56 F^ast avenue, but 
he now occupies at Darlington a four-story 
factory, yno feet long by 50 feet wide, and his 
works co\er an area of about one acre. 

The Lebanon Mill Company operates a 
factory at 106 Rroad street and manufactures 
knitted fabrics, rubber linings, dress shield and 
corset clothes, and similar goods. The indu.stry 
was formerly carried on in the village of 
Lebanon, on the eastern border of Pawtucket, 
but the mill there was burne<l in 18.SS, since 



which time the present factor\ has l)een oper- 
ated, lulwprd Thayer is the ]iro])rietor and 
manager. 

In 1889 Josejili (>tt, a skilled (lerman 
textile manufacturer, in association with Darius 
L. Coff and Daniel (L Littlefield, formed the 
Royal Weaving Co.. lor the weaving of fine 
cotton, silk and worsted fabrics on a loom then 
recently perfected by .Mr. ()tt. 'I'he Inisiness 
jiroved very successful and the unique-looking 
factory opposite the American Hair Cloth mill, 
Central h'alls, was soon after erected under the 
supervision of Mr. Littlefield. Mr. Ott is the 
superintendent of the mill. The f)flficers of the 
corporation are: Darius L. (joff, ])resident, 
and Charles E. Per\ear, treasurer. 

Machinery builders and workers in iron are 
numerous in Pawtucket. In that respect the 
ancient repute of the place is well maintained. 
Some of the exi,sting concerns have mammoth 
establishments, several are the lineal succes.sors 
of the ancient shops conducted by the pioneer 
mechanics, and the descendants of the fir.st 
settler are still engaged in their ancestor's 
liandicraft, but with motlern machinery. 

The great machine shops of James Brown, 
occupying a number of acres, corner of Main and 
Pine .streets, adjoining the railroad, may justly 
be said to have had their genesis in the work- 
shop of vSylvanus Brown, where he, under lock 
and key, made the patterns for vSanuiel .Slater's 
first machinery. The business, however, is the 
direct descendant of the machine shop .started 
t)v Larned Pitcher in i8iv In 181.) the firm 
was Pitcher iS: ('.a\. and in 18^4 S\l\anns 
Brown's son. James >S., who had had exjierieuce 
in his father's shop and in Mr. Pitcher's em- 
ployment, succeeded Mr. ('.a\' and the firm 
liecame Pitcher & Brown. In 1S42 Mr. Brown 
became the sole owner and began the con.struc- 
tion of the present works, which were not full\ 



MODERN INDUSTRIAL K STA P. I.I SH M E NT S. 



147 



completed until 1S47. Mr. Urow 11 was a prolific 
inventor. He devised machines for cutting; 
beveled gearing, for boring out solid iron tubes 
for speeder flj-ers, for fluting rollers, invented a 
lathe for turning irregular forms, and made 
man> inqirovements in cotton machinery. His 
son, the Hon. James Brown, succeeded his 
father in 1S79, and now operates the works 
along the old lines. Cotton and cordage ma- 
chinery are the specialties, and when running 
at their full capacity the works eniplo\- about 
three hundred men. 

The abandoned furnaces of the Wilkinsons 
were not utilized until iS:^2, when Zebulon 
W'liite in com])an\- with James Hrown again 
began the foundr\- business, under- the name of 
White i\: Pirown. Mr. White after various 
changes in partnerships finally built in 1S4- the 
foundry w-hich was conducted b\- him until his 
death in 1859. From that time until 1S80 his 
sons carried on the founilry in connection with 
a machine shop under the firm name of Zebulon 
P. and Joshua S. White, when the latter became 
sole owner and carried on the business under 
his own name until his death, Dec. 11, iSgs- 
The present proprietors are Hemy T. White 
and Charles F. Butterworth, the son and son-in- 
law of Joshua S. White, who are 
now carrying on the business 
under the name of the J. S. 
White Co. I)a\id Wilkinson s 
old patterns were frequently used 
bx Mr. White, his .sons and their 
associates in the early years of 
their operations, so that this 
business may be said to be the 
successor of the old anchor sliop. 
Zebulon I,. White, a son of Zel)- 
ulon P., became a noted jour- 
nalist. He was the Washington 
correspondent of the New York 



Tribune from 1S70 to iS.So. which position 
he resigned lo become editor of the Providence 
Ivvening Pre^s and the Providence Morning 
.Star. 

One of the oldest machinery sho])s in Paw- 
tucket is that of the Fales & Jenks Machine Co., 
which was started in Central Falls in 1830. The 
present works on Dexter .street were erected in 
1865, and spindles, cotton, woolen and thread 
machinery, have been the specialties. 

The W. H. Haskell Co., Main street, next 
to Brown's machine shop, is the successor and 
inheritor of the tnisiness in various lines of iron 
work started by some of the prominent mechanics 
in the earl>- and middle years of the centur\-. 
Among these mechanics were Franklin Rand, 
Jeremiah O. Arnold, Jo.seph Arnold, William 
Field, Stephen Jenks, Joseph Jenks and Joseph 
T. Sisson. In the year 1845 William H. Haskell 
formed a partnership with Nathaniel S. Collyer, 
and in 1855 became a member of the firm of 
Pinkham. Haskell 6c Co., which succeeded to 
the business establi.shed by Col. Stephen Jenks. 
In 1857 he became .sole owner. The present 
works were erected in i860 and started in 1861. 
Bolts, nuts, washers and coach screws are man- 
ufactured. 




ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT. 




JAMES C. POTTER, 



I MACHINE CO. 



The largest establishment engaged in tht- 
nianufacture of machinery in the vicinit\ nf 
Pawtucket is tlie Howard iS: P>ulloui;li American 
Machine Co., which is located at Pleasant \'iew, 
just over the Pawtucket line, in the territory 
of Attleboro, Mass. It is, however, within the 
industrial district of Pawtucket. The mammoth 
factories are seated on the north side of the 
railroad, a short distance from the east liank of 
the Blackstone river, and o\crlnok Central h'alls. 
About a thousand men are emplo\ed. All kinds 
of cotton machinery are manufactured. These 
works were e.stablished tlmmj^li the energ\- of 
James C. Potter, a mechanical engineer of great 
ability, W'ho started the Potter & Atherton Ma- 



chine Cn. in Pawtucket in iSS; with 
twcnt\- men. Mr. Pi)tter is president 
of the company. 

The Pawtucket Manufacturing Co. 
is engaged in the manufacture of bolts, 
nuts, washers, hanger screws, coach 
screws, set screws and all kinds of 
s])ecial punching and bolt and nut ma- 
I'liinerx , and occupies nian\ buildings 
co\ering more than an acre of ground 
cm Pine .street. The company was in- 
corporated in 1.S.S2 and has been uni- 
f(irnd>- ]irosperous. (")nly 4S hands were 
em]do\ed the first x'ear, but in 1.S95 a 
force of 160 men was kept at work. 
The raw material used is wrought iron 
and steel, cast iron and steel castings, 
and the jiroduct is sold chiefly in New 
I{ngland. .Stephen A. Jenks is jiresi- 
dent and George H. Webb agent and 
treasurer. 

The Xarragansett Machine Co. at 
Woodlawn is engaged in the manufac- 
ture of light machinery and gynniasium 
apparatus. The business was estab- 
lished in 1882, and was at first carried 
on in Providence, but as the manufacture in- 
creased the present factory was erected clcse 
to the railroad. In iS.Sg the company was 
incorporated. William L. Coop is president 
and Joseph Boms secretary- and treasurer, and 
these gentlemen were the original projectors of 
the industry. 

The l)usiness of the Collyer Machine Co. 
was established liy Nathaniel S. Collyer and 
Samuel S. Coll\er about 1S61, and was carried 
on under the name of N. S. Collyer & Co., until 
after the death of Samuel S. Collyer in 1S.S4, 
when it was reorganized under the present name, 
with Clo\is H. Rowen as manager and treasurer. 
The company builds d\namos and electric 



FIRE STATIONS. 



14$ 



^i^^-fii 




VALLEY FALLS FIRE STATI , 

3- VETERAN FIRtMtl 
PROSPECT STREET fIRE STATION. 



P f ' 1 m 



2. 8R0»D STREET FIRE STATION, CENTR»U FALLS. 
: TOWN MALL, PAWTUCKET, MASS. 

6. KENDALL STREET FIRE STATION. 



I. so 



ILI.rSTR ATi;i) HISTORY Ol' PAWTUCKKT. 



motors, ami niakc-s shailiiii;, pulk-ys and Iriclion 
couplings as well as lire sprinklers. In 1S94 
Mr. Howcn organized another coni])an\- which 
is conducted in coiniection with the old hnsiness. 
This is the Collyer Insulated Wire Co., the hnsi- 
ness of which is accurately described hy its name. 
William V . Drajier is president and Mr. liowen 
treasurer. 

A machine sho]) was started in 1S64 1)\' 
William W. and Joseph W. Collins, in the old 
Benedict mill, Central Falls. .Six months later 
the\' remo\-ed to the old Chii) vStone building, 
where the\ remained two years, when the\- erected 
a building in Pawtncket at the northern end ol 
the Mill street bridge, on the west side of the 
roadway, which they occupied until it was blown 
down in the great September gale of i.Sdi^. The},- 
immetliately rebuilt the shop, and sold it to 
Bacon Bros., who utilized it as a tannery, and 
the same premises are now occupied b>- the 
Eagle Dye Works. At that time the brothers 




dissoKed partnership, and William W. con- 
tinued the business alone. He erected in iS6g, 
on the east side oi the road, at the bridge, oppo- 
site the former shop, a l)uilding 75 by 38 feet. 
In i.s.sj his son Henr\' was admitted to jiartner- 
shi]), and the firm became Collins <S: Son. In 
1SS4 William W. sold out his interest to his 
sons, Henr\ and loseph Wright Collins, who 
continued the business under the name ol Col- 
lins Bros. The building now occupied is 200 by 
38 feet in dimensions and three and a half .stories 
in height. About sixt\- hands are emplox'ed. 
The concern carries on a general machinist 
business, and manufactures cotton, woolen and 
worsted machiner\- and a number of specialties, 
including a trap twister ; a stop motion consist- 
ing of a cond)ination of a ring and traveler 
together with a pair of rolls for slopping the 
traveler in ojieration when one of the threads 
In-eaks : a patent spindle for spinning and twist- 
ing machines, which stops vibrations of the 
upper end of the 
spindle and it is 
claimeil will balance 
an uneven load and 
centre itself, making 
a n u i form bobbin ; 
and a ball bearing de- 
\-ice lor dead spindle 
slee\-es for worsted 
s])inuing frames, 
which is intended to 
lubricate as well as to 
do aw a\' with friction. 
.\11 these S])ecialties 
are manufactured 
under pate lit s recent 1\- 
granted, and which 
are the e x c 1 u si \e 
])roperty of Collins 
Bros. 



FACTORY OF THE AMERICAN HAIR CLOTH CO., CENTRAL FALLS. 



MoDIvKX INDUSTRIAL KST A BLISH M ENTS. 



151 



The- business now comluctt-d by (leorge \V. 
Pa\iie & Co., biiilclers of improxeil upright 
spoolers, 102 Broad street, was started in 1S65 
under the name of Holmes &. Payne, but has 
l)een carried on under the present name since 
1870. George W. Payne has been the control- 
ling head of the industry since the beginning, 
and George M. Planning has been a partner 
since iSiSo. 

Alfred E. Tenne\- began his lousiness career 
with William Jeffers in the manufacture of hand 
fire engines, and continued 
in that industry until the 
death of Captain Jeffers, 
March 16, 1879. As there 
was then no demand for 
the old hand engines, four 
years later the firm became 
the A. E. Tenney Manu- 
facturing Co., and engaged 
in the manufacture of gen- 
eral machinery and speci- 
alties. The works are 
now at 106 Broad street. 
Special machinery is made 
to order from designs fur- 
nished, and saw sets, 
ratchet drills, arc lamps of 
low and high tension, and 
cloth stretchers for bleach- sEcRETAPr »no treasurer c 

eries are manufactured. 

The annual production is about 840,000, the 
plant occupies 8,000 feet floor space, and forty- 
five hands are employed. 

Files were made in Pawtucket as far back 
as 1863 in a building specially erected for the 
industry, and which is now one of the mills of 
the Slater Cotton Co. The Nicholson b'ile 
Company has a large plant, covering two and a 
half acres, on Dexter street. Central Falls. 
These works were established in the 60 's, but 



LYMAN M. DARLING 



were purchased by the present company in 1889, 
and are operated as the American File Works, 
the original name of the concern. The main 
works of the Nicholson File Co. in Providence 
occupies four and a quarter acres, and the 
corporation also has a plant in Beaver Falls, 
Pa., which occupies three acres. This great 
corporation, which now in these three establish- 
ments produces 60 per cent of the files used in 
the United States, was started in Providence in 
1864 by the late William T. Nicholson, a native 
of Pawtucket. The capital 
of the company is $2,000,- 
000 and the present officers 
are : Sanuiel M. Nicholson, 
president and general man- 
ager; Arthur H. Watson, 
vice president : George 
Nicholson, treasurer; 
Charles H. Elsbree, secre- 
tary. The superintendent 
of the Pawtucket works is 
James E. Nicholson. 

Michael Buckley, who 
was foreman of the hard- 
ening room in the Amer- 
ican File Works from 1869 
to 1S73, during the last 
named year .started to make 

L. a. DARLfNG FERTILIZER CO. filcS OU lUS OWU aCCOUUt, 

and has ever since contin- 
ued to carry on the manufacture. His shop 
is at 62 Dexter street. 

The manufacture of seamless wire for jewel- 
ers' use was begun in Central Falls in 1S90 by 
Henry T. Smith and Charles D. Wood. The 
process was a new one, invented and patented 
b>- Mr. .Smith. .Success attended the efforts of 
the jirojectors, a coniiian\- was incorporated the 
same \ear, under the name of the Standard .Seam- 
less Wire Co., and a factory erected on Mill street. 




152 



I I,I,U STRATI',!) UISTOUV O !• I'A W T T C K I'.T. 



opposite Clay street. Central l'":ills. .Xhmit 
twenty -five hands are enipli)ye<l. William II. 
Park is treasurer of the company, David J. W'liilr 
secretary, and Henry T. Smith superintendent. 

George II. l'"nlk-r began the manulacture 
of jewelers' sujiplies in the l'a\iie iS: Ta\liir 
buildiui; in iSsS and de\-el()])ed an excellent 
business, which he carried on under his own 
name until iS.So, when his sini Charles Henr\ 
Fuller was admitted to a partnership, and the 
firm became (rcorge II. Fuller & vSon. The 
father died June 26, 1.S92, and the industry has 
since been carried on by the son under the old 
name at 145 Exchange street. 

The manufacture of leather belting, lace 
leather and leather sundries is now a \er\- 
imjiorlanl indnstr\- in I'awtucket. The making 
of lace leather was begun by Lewis Fairbrother 
in 1.S34 and b\- James l)a\is in 1S47, and Ixilli 
commenced the manufacture of leather belting 
in 1850. The firm of Bucklin & Trescott, suc- 
cessors of the James Davis Belting Co., carry on 
the old business on the jiremises formerl>- occu- 
pied 1)\ the Fairbrother Belting Co. Weather- 
head iS: Thompson, who began business in 1S5S, 
now manufacture on Mill .street, Central Falls, 
oak-tanned leather belting, tanned and raw-hide 
lace and picker leather, and also make thread 
and silk spools, and have a factory on the river 
bank a little south of the Central avenue bridge. 
About 18,000 hides are used annually and over 
fifty persons are employed. The Star Tanning 
Company, now located at 140 Front street, was 
started in 1S79 by Robert Bellew, Oscar A. Jill.son 
and others. The jilant occupies about two acres. 
Loom strai)s and pickers, and se\'eral \-arietiesol 
lace and picker leather, are manufactured. 

The dyeing and bleaching of yarns has 
always been a \erv essentia] induslr\ in I'aw- 
tucket. The first mills lunl shops or depart- 
ments where these ojierations were carried on. 



but \'er\- soon the industry' was sjieciali/ed. 
Barne\ Merrs' was the first man in I'awtucket, 
and line nl the i,-arliest in the country , tii estab- 
lish a (hewiirk and bleai'hcrx . He began in 
!,S()5 and continued the industr\ \er\ success- 
full\- until his death in i.'-i47. The business was 
carried on by his sons until iSfid, when Robert 
D. Mason, a grandson, was adnntled to the 
firm, which then became known as Samuel 
Merry & Co. Previous to this time Mr. Mason 
had been employed by his uncle, and had prac- 
ticallx' grown up into an experience of the inher- 
ited family industry. .Samuel Merr\- retired in 
1S70, when the firm l)ecaine known as Robert 
D. Mason & Co. In 1S89 Frederick R. Mason, 
the son of Robert 1)., and the great-grandson of 
Barney Merry, was admitted to the firm. The 
concern was incoqiorated in 1.S92 under the 
name of the Robert 1). Mason Co., with a capi- 
tal of $100,000. From the beginning of the 
business the bleachery was located in the rear 
of the Merry homestead, on the present lui.st 
avenue, being eidarged from time to time as 
required. In 1.S92 the present modern plant on 
listen avenue, rear of 1077 Main street. Wood- 
lawn, was first occupied. Here are two build- 
ings, one 50 by 154 feet and three stories in 
height, and the other a one-.story ell, 187 by 100 
feet, and the works cover about three-quarters of 
an acre. The nund)er of hands now employed 
is about one hundred, the dail\- capacity is 
20,000 pounds, and the annual business is about 
$150,000. The industry has adhered clo.sely to 
its original lines, and the concern now bleaches 
and dyes spool thread, knitting cott(ni, cords, 
braids, tapes, cotton, wook-n and worsted \arns. 
Robert D. Mason is president and Frederick R. 
Mason treasurer of the corporation. 

The Harrison Yarn iS; D\eing Co., whose 
works are on the east bank of the Blackslone 
river, Front street, dates back to 1S61 when the 




JAMES BROWN, 

I WARD 1883-ia92--MAYOR OF PAWTUCK 



MODERN INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS. 



153 




WILLIAM H. SLOCUM, 

? OF GENERAL MACHtNERY FORCINGS 



firm of Hale\- & Harrison began 
the business. In 1S67, Mr. 
Haley retired, and Richard 
Harrison did liusiness under his 
own name until i^<)3, when the 
concern was incorporated under 
the present style. The industry 
consists of tlie dyeing of cotton 
and worsted yarns for woolen 
manufactures. About eighty 
hands are employed. 

The Home Bleach and I)\e 
Works are near the Blackstone 
river, between Valle}- Ealls and 

Pleasant \'iew, but are just over the Ixn-der in the town of 
Attleboro. In 1SS2 the buildings, which had ]ircvi('usl\- been 
used for olhci inuposes, were ulilized \>\ the I'nion \\'a(hling 
Company for bleaching raw cotton. Peter B. McManus was tlie 
manager, and three years later he purchased the plant, and since 
then has operated it for the bleacjiing and dyeing of cotton and 
worsted \arns. 

The IJempsey P)leacher\' and Dye Works, 331 North Main 
street, directly on the western liank of the Blackstone river, 
commenced operations in 1NS4. The bleaching and dyeing of 
cotton cloth i^ the s])eciall\-. Tlie eomi)an\ was incorporated 
in 1883. The l)uildings are substantial Ijrick structures, well 



equijjjK'd with modern machinerw antl tile ca])acit\- of the works 
is fifteen tons per da\ . 

In 1S77 John H. Cumiiiing, a skilled Scotcli dyer, established 
a shop for the dyeing of garments and domestic goods, and in 
i8,S3 added a laundry and a carpet cleaning plant. He now has 
the largest concern of the kind in the community, has been very 
successful, and his works are located on the Blackstone river. 
rear of 321 North Main street. 

The Pawtucket Dyeing & Bleaching Co., established in i.S.Sg 
b\- the firm of Blodgett & Orswell, has a factory on the site of the 
Lebanon mill, on the Ten Mile river, and is engaged in the 
bleaching and dyeing of yarns and stockinet. 

As the textile manufacture developed in finer lines a demand 
grew U]) for more beautiful 
effects in coloring. To meet 
this want the services of the 
skilled manufacturing chemist 
Ijecame necessary, (^ne of the 
first concerns in the I'nited 
States to cater to this high- 
class modern requirement was 
the firm of A. Harrison & Co., 
started in a small way on Pine 
street, Pawtucket, in 1883, by 
Robert Crossle\- and Alfred 
Harrison, both skilled practical 




ELLIS THAYER, 

BRUSH MANUFACTURER. 




ANDREW PRIOR, 
PROPRIETOR FRANKLIN DVE mouS 



154 



11. LI' STRATI': I) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT 



chemists. The business increased so largeK- that 
a new factor)- was erected in 1SS3 on Charles 
street, North Providence, onh" a short distance 
outside the Pawtucket limits. Dvers', ]irinters' 
and bleachers' supplies are made, anil the special- 
ties are finishing paste, cotton .softener, crystal 
size, Yorkshire gum, alizarine assistant, soluble 
oil, nitrate of iron, pure and commercial, solu- 
tion of tin, muriate of tin and stannate of soda. 
The works cover about an acre, and the plant can 
turn out $150,000 worth of compounded goods 
annually. 

Since 1S36 the Dunnell ])rintworks has 
been one of the chief industrial concerns in 
Pawtucket. It occupies a site previously util- 
ized from the early j-ears of the century for the 
manufacture of cotton yarn, bleaching and 
block jirinting.* Jacob Dunnell, the founiler 
of the business, was an active anil progressive 
man, and under his management the establish- 
ment became one of the largest and most suc- 
cessful of its kind in the countrw The com])any 
was incorporated in 1.S5;; under the name of the 
Dunnell .Manufacturing Co., of which the treas- 
urer at ])resent is William Wanton Dunnell, a 
sou of the founder. Besides the calico printing 
plant the works also include a bleachery and 
and d\ eworks. Most of the buildings are new, 
as a fire in Augu.st, 1S90, destroyed nearly all 
the old structures. 

In 1852 Lucius 1). Darling connnenced at 
Mineral Springs the slaughtering of cattle and 
the preparation of tripe for market. The latter 
part of the business proved the most profitable 
and he finall\- discontinued the butchering de- 
]>artment, and turned his attention to the pre- 
paration of tripe and the rendering of market 
trimmings into tallow and fertilizer material. 
In 1865 he began to grind bones and a little later 
put the product on the market as a fertilizer. 

•Chapter 4, p. 84. 



His brother I,\ man .M. Darling was admitted to 
partnership in 1874, when the firm became L. 
P). Darling ^: Co., and in iS.Si his two sons, Ira 
C. and Lucius P., Jr., were admitted as partners. 
Ira C. died July i, 1891. In January, 1884, the 
concern was incorporated under the name of the 
Iy. B. Darling I'ertilizer Co. The business has 
increa.sed steadil\' and constantly since the 
beginning and the plant now occu])ies six and a 
half acres. Lucius B. Darling, the founder of 
the business, died Jan. 1896. At the first meet- 
ing of the directors after Mr. Darling's death 
his son Lucius B. Darling was elected presi- 
dent, and L> man M. Darling was re-elected sec- 
retary and treasurer. 

The brush manufacture is now an im])ortant 
local industrw It was brought to Pawtucket 
from Attleboro b\' Thomas Green, who sold out 
to Ivllis and Oeorge W. Thayer in 1870. On 
the death of George W. Thayer in 1873 another 
brother, Philo E., was admitted to partnership. 
V]> to 1880 the firm was known as Thayer Bros. 
but in that >ear Ivllis sold out his interest, and 
the original establishment has since then been 
conducted by P. hi. Thayer & Co., who now 
manufacture at 22 East avenue, all kinds of 
brushes for cotton and woolen mills and print 
works, bleacheries and manufacturing jewelers, 
out of the best foreign anil .\merican bristles. 
One floor, 150 by 45 feet, is occupied, the annual 
production is worth $75,000, and a force of thirty- 
five hands are employed. 

Pvllis Thayer after selling out his interest 
to his brother started an inde]ienilent factory at 
177 Iv.xchange street, where he has developed an 
excellent business. Here he makes brushes 
that are used for every conceivable purpo.se. 
.■\bout twenty-five hands are employed, and the 
factory is a two-stor\- building covering an area 
of about 5000 square feet. The product is about 
$50,000 amuially. 



MODERN INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS. 



155 



For many years a lar^rf ainotnit of cigar 
mamifacturint; has been done in I'awtucket. 
Tlie in(lustr\- has found a local liaf)ilation here, 
deserting Providence and other jilaces to con- 
centrate in Pawtiiclcet. vSqnire Z. Pliinney 
began to make cigars in Pawtucket in 1.S5S. 
Meanwliile he started a shop in Providence, l)ut 
in 1S74 removed all his manufacturing to Paw- 
tucket. His factory is at the corner of Church 
and Pine .streets, and thirty hands are employed. 
The firm of F. F. Follett & Son established a 
cigar factory on Green street in 
1867, and has carried on the bus- 
iness there ever since. From 
twenty to thirty people are em- 
ployed, and from 1,000,000 to 
i,<Soo,ooo cigars are turned out 
annuallx'. vScattered through- 
out the city are about a score 
of cigarmakers' shops, large 
and small. 

The largest book and job 
printing house in the state of 
Rhode I.sland is that of Ji. L. 
F'reeman & Sons, Central Falls. 
This business was e.stablished 
in a small way by Edward L. 
Freeman in 1863. He began 
the publication of a weekly 
newspaper, the Weekly \'isitor, 
in 1869, and continued to issue it until i8go, when 
it was sold to David J. White, and merged into 
the Pawtucket Record. In 1873 John E. Golds- 
worthy became a partner, and the firm then 
took the name of K. L. F'reeman & Co. Mr. 
Goldsworthy retired in 1885, and Mr. I-'reeman's 
eldest son, William C, entered the firm, which 
then assumed the style of E. L. Freeman iS: Son. 
Another son, Joseph W., was admitted in iSgh. 
and the name of the firm was changed to E. L. 
Freeman & Sons. Since 1877, the state print- 




ing, including the ]nd)lic laws and all the rejsorts 
and documents, has Ijcen done in this establish- 
ment, which is now admirably fitted up for book 
and job work of e\cr>- description. A large 
force is constantI\ em])loyed, and nearly the 
whole of the brick building corner of Central 
and Mills streets, together with a large wooden 
annex, is occupied. 

An industr\- to which a number of estab- 
lishments are now devoted in Pawtucket, is the 
manufacture of cardboard, begun by Ray Potter 
in 1844, who was succeeded in 
r85S by H. B. Dexter, and the 
concern after various changes 
became the Rhode Island Card 
Board Co. Other concerns en- 
gaged in this indu.stry are 
Linton Bros. & Co., Orient 
Card & Paper Co., and the 
Pawtucket (^.lazed Pa])er Co. 

The name of mill supplies 
is applied to many small arti- 
cles used in x'arious de])art- 
ments of cotton mills. One of 
these that has proved of great 
value and utility is the ring 
traveler, the manufacture of 
which was begun by N. P. 
Hicks in 1853, in Valley Falls. 
He afterwards went to Pro\- 
idence, but in 1857 came to Pawtucket and 
carried on the industrv in the Old .Slater Mill. 
The E. Jenckes Manufacturing Co., which has 
a large brick factory on ^^'eeden street, near 
the railroad, is the successor of Mr. Hicks. 

The I^xcelsior Loom Reed Company, of 
which lulward Adamson is the treasurer, manu- 
factures reeds for cotton silk and woolen looms 
under patent-s granted to Mr. Adamson, April 
14, 1885. The .special feature of these reeds 
is the increased flexibilitv of the bent wires, 



156 



ILI.USTRATIU) HISTORY ( ) !• PAW T U C K !•; T 



tlK-n.-l)y Ic-ssciiinj; friction on war]) threads in tin.- 
o])i-ration of wx-avins;. Ahont icm.dDO rt't-ds arc 
produced aunuall\- : tlic works occuin- ahont 
10,000 feet of floor space, and s])ecial niacliincrx 
invenlcct for flic jmrjiosc is used in llic nianii- 
facture. 

As a consc(|Uencc of tlic evolution of ind\is 
trv in I'awtnckcl witliin tin- ])ast rilt\' \ears tlie 
l)nildinL; of mills, Mocks, scIiooHkiuscs and 
dwellings has been an important business. He- 
tweeii 1830 and 1840 Clark Sayles and Nathan- 
iel Lewin were prominent builders. The latter 
continued as a contractor until 
his death in 1S70, and was the 
.senior partner successively of 
the firms of Lewin, Fisk i\: 
KeUNon and Lewin, Ken\-on 
iX: Co. Ken\()n, Drown & Co. 
then continued the business, 
were succeeded b\- Keiiyon, 
Whitaker tV Smith in iS.si, 
and .since 1891 P.enjamin F. 
vSmith has carried it on alone. 
His shops on Mason street are 
extensive, and he pays especial 
attention to mill liuildiug. 
Another important firm of con- 
tractors was Bliss & Potter, 
afterwards Pliss iS: Carpenter, who operated the 
planini; mill rear of 30 East avenue. Carpenter 
(S: Willmailh succeeded Bliss & Car]ienter in 
1876, and in 1879 the firm became W'illmarth iK: 
Mackillop. In addition to its building and 
millwright operations this firm conducts a large 
woodturning-, sawing and planing mill on Dex- 
ter street and manufactures builders' supplies. 
Robert Wilson, who is now one of the largest 
contractors in Rhode Island, is a young man 
who started in 18S8 and has erected mills, 
business blocks, schoolhouses and dwellin.gs. 
George A. Sinunons in i''^93 succeeded his 




FRANKLIN N. BLAKE, 

WAGON AND CARRIAGE MANUFACTURE 



father with whom he was a ])artner from 1.S72, 
the llrm being tlun known as R. II. .Simmons 
t\: Co. 1 lis cstablislinunt is <in Illinois street. 
Central h'alls, where he manufatiures window 
and door frames, brackets, etc., and he is a large 
contractor and builder, chiefly of dwellings. 

At 7S Pleasant street C.ecnge .Smales oc- 
cupies three floors, each ,^0 b\- (n> feet in 
dimensions, carries on stair building, wood 
turning, sawing, jilaning, band sawing anil 
general shop work, and manufactures window 
and door screens. He has been engaged in this 
industr_\- since 1887, and the 
Inisiue.ss has con.stantly in- 
creased, 

James R. P'airweather started 
business on his own account as 
a stair builder in Xo\end)er, 
1S90, and in 1893 increased his 
business by purchasing the 
shop of 1). A. Kell)-. He now 
conducts a successful and in- 
creasing business. 

The manufacture of wagons 
and carriages for ordinary 
purposes is an industry that 
employs a nuudier of estab- 
lishments in Pawtucket. 
I'ranklin X. lilake started as a carriage black- 
smith in a small wa\' in 1S78, and now occujjies 
a three-stor\- building, 84 by 40 feet in dimen- 
sions, rear of 323 Main street, for the manufac- 
ture of wagons and carriages, and emplo\s 
twenty men. Bernard McCabe in company 
with Michael \\'halen started a blacksmith and 
wheelwright sho]) in 1S75 under the name of 
McCabe ^: Whalen ; in 1 .S.So Mr. Whalen re- 
tired, and in 1SS7 Mr. McCabe erected the shops 
he now occupies for the manufacture of carriages 
and wagons and the transaction of a general 
wheelwright and blacksmith lousiness. 



MODERN INnrsTRIAL EST A B 1. 1 S H M EXTS. 



15; 



The Pawtucket Steam and Gas Pipe Co. 
was started in 1866 by Robert Alexander, James 
H. Andrew and David L. Fales, and the com- 
pany was incorporated in 1S91. The officers are 
James H. Andrew, president; David L. Fales, 
treasurer ; and James E. Andrew, .secretary. 

Many other industries in addition to those 
enumerated have been or are carried on in Paw- 
tucket. The manufacture of .stoves and cooking 
ranges was begun in 1853 by the Pawtucket 
Furnace Co., and was continued for many 
years. The R. Bliss Manufacturing Co., wood 
turners, makers of wooden hand and bench 
screws, toys, games and novelties, was started 
by Rufus Bliss about 1830, and the present 
works on Main street were erected in 1S66. 



Hand fire engines were built here l)\- William 
Jeffersfrom 1848^1 1879. Cole Brothers, who 
began operations here in 1864, now manufac- 
ture steam fire engines as one of the departments 
of their busine.ss. Henry F. Jenks, a member 
of the old Jenks family, has manufactured 
builders' hardware since 1S65. J. (). Draper & 
Co. commenced the maiuifacture of .soaji in i,S6i 
and now carry on a large business. Bela P. Clapp 
started to make anunonia in 1859, and the in- 
dustry is now conducted b\- the B. P. Clapp 
Ammonia Co. Henry F. I.ull lias conducted 
since 1894 the business of concrete paving, 
which was .started by his father. P. C. Lull, in 
1872. The City Brass Foundry was established 
by Frank McKenna in 1890 at 9 Slater avenue. 




158 



ILLUSTRATKD HISTORY f ) F I'AWT FC K I':T. 



and is still carried f>n 1)\ him at that hication 
under the name of Frank McKenna «S: Co. 
The hicNcle trade is well represented 1)\- H. 
L. S])encer, with warerooms on tile old Slater 
Mill premises, and by Dawson & Co., whose 
store at 15S Broad street, is one of the best 
stocked establishments of the kind in the state. 

The industries mentioned do not, howex'er, 
exhaust the list, but are onl\- the largest, most 
prominent or striking^. The claim has been 
made that " Pawtucket possesses a greater di- 
versity' of iiiduslr\' than any cit\- of its size in 
New F^iigland, or perhaps in this country." 
Among the goods made and the industries 
carried on in Pawtucket, Central Falls and 
\-icinity are : 

Aluminum novelties, agricultural chemicals, 
automatic lighting apparatus, advertising .spe- 
cialties, bands, bench stojis, boot and shoe webs, 
l)oIt and nut machinery, belt cutters, blind trim- 
mings, brass work, brooms, corn brooms and 
brushes, braided fish lines, beaming and chain- 
ing machines, belt hooks, bloodstone burnishers, 
boot, shoe and corset laces, patent bottle stoppers, 
dress and coat bindings, braids, braid rolls, 
brushes for mills, jewelers, etc., builders' hard- 
ware, boot webs, banding machines, balance 
wheels, blank books, butterine, bolts and nuts, 
cotton cloth, copper, brass and iron castings, 
cut-off couplings, clearer springs, cotton, worsted 
and dress goods, cotton openers and lappers, 
check valves, curled hair, coach screws, calicoes, 
canned goods, car gates, carriages, carriage top 
dressing, chemicals for manufacturers, cigars, 
coffin trimmings, cotton machinery, cotton bat- 
ting, confectionery, card screens for cotton and 
woolen carders, chromo boards, cardboards, 
cone winders, cone winder rolls, cop skewers, 
cotton banding, cotton yarns, cloth .stretchers 
and washers, calico printers' and bleachers' 
machinery, cordage machinerN-, cotton ropes. 



clothes lines, cut nip])ers, dolls of wood and 
pa])ier-mache, doubling s])oolers, doors, sash and 
blinds, drying cans for ])rintworks and bleach- 
eries, derricks, drinking fountains, d>ers' and 
bleachers' supplies, dynamos, drivewa\- cross- 
ings, drum winders, electric lamps, electric 
motors, extracts, enameled lithographic papers, 
enamelers' mufflers, electrolytic copper, enamel- 
ing on wood and iron, friction drills, files, fric- 
tional gearing, fertilizers, forge and heating 
furnaces, foot-power machinery, flashlight ma- 
chines for photographers, fire ])umps, flier 
twisters, gymnasium apparatus, gutters and 
mouldings, glazed papers, gilders' furnaces, glues, 
gummed labels, hangers with self-oiling boxes, 
hydrants, harness blacking, harness oil, hair- 
cloth, wooden hand and bench screws, hats, hosi- 
ery, hosiery winders, horseshoe nails, haircloth 
looms, insulated wire, ink, ink erasers, insoles, 
iron cutting shears, jewelry, jewelers' findings, 
jewelers' tools, jersey cloth, kettles, kier.s, knit 
goods, knitting machines, lithographic printing, 
levers, loom reeds, loom reed machiner>-, lawn 
tennis goods, leather belting, looms, machinists' 
tools, models, mohair braids, mohair plu.sh, ma- 
chine bolts, marine engines, mattresses, machine 
tools, narrow woven fabrics in great variety, 
neatsfoot oil, nut locks, oil, office punches, 
printing, plate papers, packing cases and 
shooks, friction, clutch and other varieties of 
pulleys, pin tickets, pipe and general wrenches, 
paper boxes, patterns of all kinds, quillers, reels, 
rubber belting, ring travelers, shaving brush 
handles of all varieties, safety valves, stirrujjs, 
shafting, sewer castings, settees for parks, stock- 
inet, shoe machinery, sewing machines for shoe 
and harness makers, spinning frames, spinning 
mules, spinnLng rings, silk machinery, .steam 
heating apparatus, soaps, .street car fenders, 
straps and iron work for buildings, .scarfing 
machines, spindles for manufacturing cotton. 




BENJAMIN FESSENDEN, 



NENT COTTON t 



f FALLS FOR EIC 



VARir-:n INDUSTRIES OF P AWTUC K F,T. 



159 




AUTUMN VIEW OF PARK PLACE. 



wool and silk, spoolers, spooler guides, steam 
fire engines, shoe leather, .seamless wire, saw 
sets, rotarv steam jiiunps, sash locks, shipping 
tags, s])ecial niachinerx', shoes, tapping machines, 
thread, twine, tin cylinders for textile mills, 
thread and silk spools, thread dressing machines, 
thread and yarn reels, tacks, tanks, taps and 
dies, tapes, top rolls, patent shell rolls, twisters, 
tallow, webbing of all kinds, wire easels, wire 
novelties, warp spools, window screens, warps, 
wooden lioxes for all purpo.ses, including lock 
corner lioxes for confectioners, etc., wadding, 
window springs, wire and sheet metal goods, 
water gates, watch spring winders, water 
motors, wooden toys, wood workers' tools, 



yam dryers, yarns of all kinds, >arn printing 
machines, etc.* 

The leading industries are machinery build- 
ing, cotton, woolen, thread and yarn manufac- 
turing, bleaching, dyeing and calico printing, 
and iron specialties ; but, as the foregoing list 
demon.strates, the variety of enterprises is ver\^ 
great and gives a cosmopolitan character to the 
industrial community. By not being confined 
exclusively to one or a few industries the city 
has a much better prospect of uniform and con- 
stant prosperity , and consequently the prospect 
of future growth and development is excellent. 

♦rawluckft CoiiuiiL-ri-ial Bulk-liii, vol. _. 



CHAI'TKR XII, 



CI':XTRAI, l-WI.I.S. M.I'IASAXT \MI-;\V, VAI.I.l'V l''AI.I,S. I.oXSDAI.K AND SAYI.ICSX'I I.I.l'. 



J~f I/n lOrCH now a (iisliiict iminicipalit\', 
j[ \^ Central Falls has in reality al\va\s been 
an iiitej^ral part of the industrial coni- 
mu!iit\' of Pawtucket. Around every centre 
of population there grow up offshoots, — ganglias 
or extensions of the main body, — which have 
some local life of their own, but deri\-e their 
strength from and finall}- merge into the sub- 
stance of the parent communitw Central 
Falls, the principal one of these local indus- 
trial centres in the \-icinit\' of Pawtucket, is 
now a city, and its territor\- is the section 
north of Pawtucket on the west, bounded on 
the north by the \'alley Falls pond, on the east 
by the Blackstone river and on the we.st by the 
Moshassuck river. The business life of the 
place is on the Blackstone ri\er about a mile 
north of Pawtucket falls. The area of its terri- 
tory is between one and two square miles, which 
is largely occupied by dwelling houses. The 
line of separation between Pawtucket and Cen- 
tral Falls is not visible except on the map. To 
the eye and for the purposes of residence and 
business the two places are one, and are onl\ 
dual in a municipal and political sense. 

At the beginning of the century, in Central 
Falls there were only four buildings, and these 
were near the ri\-er in the vicinit\- of the jiresent 
bridges. No highway then led to the localilv. 
Wagons could onh- approach the jdace b_\- the 



Smithfield road, now Lonsdale a\-enue, and 
then come down through the woods by a carl 
track. Footpaths led from Pawtucket falls o\er 
the hill or along by the river bank, past the 
Nathaniel or Ichabod Jenks' stone chininev 
house, and followed the lines of either High, 
North Main or Broad streets. On the ri\-er bank, 
near the dividing line between North Providence 
and Smithfield there was an old building said to 
have been erected al)out the middle of the last 
centurx' and oj)erated b\' Benjamin Jenks as a 
snuff mill.* 

Most ot the land in the \-icinit\- originally 
belonged to mend)ers of the Jenks family. 
vStephen Jenks jnirchased in 1 763 three-fourths 
of an acre from (rideon Jenks and h'/.ekiel Car- 
penter, and a trij) hannner and blacksmith shop 
was afterwards built on this lot. William Jenks 
of Wrentham, Mass., sold to Benjamin Co/.zens 
of Providence in 1777 ten acres of land near the 
ri\er. The latter was a clothier and had a full- 
ing mill at Pawtucket, but he does not ajijiear 
to ha\-e utilized the water ])owerat Central Falls. 
In 17S11 he sold a part of these ten acres to 
Charles Keene, who immedialel\ engaged 
S>'lvanus Brown of Pawtucket to build a dam 
across the ri\-er, erected a l)uilding, and began 

■ lieiicilii'l's Reiiiiiiisceiiccs, Xo. !) ; llislory of 
.Sinillilk-Ul, p. li:>. 



KARLV IXnrSTRIKS OF CKXTRAL FALLS. 



i6i 



the inamifactniv of sc\ llies ami otliL-r c-d^x-d 
tools. Part ol this huildiii;.;, whicli stood on the 
soutluvcst corner of .Mill and Charles street, near 
the present bridge, was suh.sequently occupied 
by a man named Wheat in the manufacture of 
chocolate. As this turned out to be a profitable 
and permanent industry the locality was known 
as the Chocolate Mill, which name it retained 
until 1.S24. 

Levi Hall jjurchased from Cliarles Keene 
in 1784 one third of his estate, and occupied a 
portion of the chocolate mill for fulling and the 
manufacture of wash leather. 
vStephen Jenks, .Stejihen Jenks, 

Jr., and Moses Jenks purchased 

in ijyO the interest of Charles 

Keene in this property from / 

his widow, and in 1806 vStephen 

Jenks purchased the remaining 

third from the widow of Levi 

Hall.* The land thus came 

again into the hands of the 

Jenkses, and the water power 

appears to have been u.sed bv 

them to turn out iron bolts and 

ship chandlery in the tri]i-liam- 

mer shoji. 

fjA, 111 , t STATE SEALER OF WEH 

1 he old chocolate factory 
was about 1807 or 1808 converted into a cotton 
.spinning mill by l-;iislia Waterman, Henjamin 
Walcott and Rufus Waterman, and fur man\- 
years was a .successful enterprise, conducted 
under the name of the Smithfield Manufacturing 
Company. The old factory has long since dis- 
appeared. The other huiUlings near the choco- 
late mill were the l)lacksmitli or trip hammer 
shop, a small wooden dwelling house and an old 
stone house on the river bank, whicli is still 
.standing at 607 Mill street and is occupied b\- 



""^ 




JAMES M. CRAWFORD, 



•BflK-clicfs \ 
.Sinithrifld, p. 114. 



cences, No. 9; History of 



theStallord .Manufacturing Co. as a storehou.se.* 
These buildings comprised the hamlet of Choco- 
late Mill. 

Stephen Jenks erected a building at Central 
Falls in iSi 1 and u.sed it as a .shop in which to 
finish 10,000 muskets, for the manufacture of 
which he had a contract with the I'nited States 
.government at S11.50 apiece. This building 
was afterwards u.sed as a machine shop and for 
the manufacture of cotton yarn, but was burned 
in 1S29. On its .site, .soon after, Lemuel H. 
Arnold and Palemon Walcott built a mill and 
engaged in the manufacture of 
cotton duck. In 1832 Charles 
Moies and George F. Jenks 
purchased this property- . and 
the firm of Moies, Ingraham 6t 
Co. operated the mill in ihe 
manufacture of cotton thread. 
The members of t-liis firm were 
Charles Moies, H. N. Ingra- 
ham, Benjamin F. Greene and 
Samuel Saunders. This build- 
ing became finally a part of the 
property of the Stafford Manu- 
facturing Co.'s estate. 

In 1823 the water power at 
Central h'alls was divided into 
.six privileges, each of which was entitled to 
an aperture in the .side of the trench six feet 
long and two feet below the to]) (if the dam. 
John Kenned\ in conjunction with .Vlmv Ov 
Brown ])urchased Privilege Xo. 1, built a 
brick mill in 1.S24-5 and commenced the 
manufacture of cotton cloth. He operated this 
factory for about seven years. It then passed 
through the liands of nian\- owners, was em- 
]>loyed in a variety of indu.stries, and the prop- 
erty is now a part of the premi.sesof the Stafford 
Manufacturing Co. 



"Heiic-dict's Rt!niiiisceiice.>i, Xo. SI. 



1 62 



ILLUSTRAT]',!) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKIvT. 



John Kcnnedx- was a iniblic spirited citizen. 
.Mainl\' llnoui;!! his eftorts in colleetins; sub- 
scriptions, money enough was raised to Imihl 
the first highway bridge at Central I'alls. It 
was coni])leted in 1S27, on which occasion a 
jiublic celebration was held in a mill then jnst 
finisheil, which had been erected 1)\ Daxicl and 
(ieorge Jenks on Privilege No. 2. James C. 
Starkweather was the orator of the dav, and all 
the substantial citizens of the neighborhooil 
were present. ( )n that occasion Stejihen Jenks 
announced that the old name woulil be dro])ped 
and the place would be known thereafter as 
Central P'alls. The Jenks mill in which this 
celebration was held was successivel\' used for 
the manufacture of thread and cotton cloth. 
The property was afterwards divided and a part 
of it incorporated with the estate of the .Stafford 
Manufacturing Co., and it now belongs wholl\- 
to that corporation. 

On Privilege No. 3 a stone mill was erected 
in 1S25 by the Pawtucket Thread Manufactur- 
ing Co., the meudiers ol which were Jabal 
Ingraham, Bosworth Walker and Uriah Hene- 
dict, and was utilized on different floors as a 
machine shop, for the manufacture of cloth and 
of cotton thread. Stephen lieuedict and Josejih 
Wood built a wooden mill in 1.S40 (in the north 
half of Prix'ilege No. 4, and began the manufac- 
ture of cotton cloth. Alvin Jenks and David G. 
P'ales erected in 1S35 on the south half of No. 4 
and the north hall of No. 5 Pri\-ileges, a wooden 
building, in the lower stor\- of which they be- 
gan the manufacture of cotton machinery, while 
the\ let the upjier portions of the mill for the 
manufacture of cotton goods. F'ales & Jenks 
sold out to Phettejilace & Seagraves, who 
erected about 1.S70 a large brick mill, and 
operated it for nuin\- years in the manufacture 
of woolen goods, under the name of the Central 
Falls Woolen Co. This factors- is now known 



as the b'arwell Worsted mill, and is carried on 
by the I'arwell Worsted Co. 

Charles Moies, John Moies and Cieorge F\ 
Jenks erected a wooilen mill in 1S39 on the 
south hall of Privilege No. 5, in jiart of which 
the>- nmnufactured cotton cloth, while on the 
other floors H. N. Ingraham made jirint goods 
anil l)a\id Martin turned out spools and bob- 
bins. Oreene «S: Daniels afterward occupied 
the entire building for twenty \ears, lor the 
making of cotton \arn and s]iool thread, but the 
jiremises are now a jiart of the estate of the 
American Hair Cloth Co. 

vStephen Jenks was the ])ro])rietor of Pri\-i- 
lege No. 6. He bought, in 1826, the meeting 
house of the Attleboro Universalist Societ\', — 
which originallv stood a few roils south of the 
present Congregational church at Oldtown, 
North Attleboro, Mass., — mo\-eil it to this loca- 
tion, and made it into a mill for the manufac- 
ture of cotton cloth. In iS^o the estate pas.sed 
into the ])ossession of James F*. Sinnnons, 
Lemuel H. Arnold and Ruel Richards, who 
greatly enlarged the building. The lower story 
was then used by Fales &. Jenks as a machine 
shop, and the upper floors were utilized for the 
cotton manufacture. After various changes in 
ownershi]), the ]>ropert\- finalh' came into the 
possession of the Pawtucket Hair Cloth Co., 
and the present brick mill was erected in 1.864. 
The old mill was removed further down the 
stream anil is now occupied b\- Wcatherlu-ad iS: 
Thompson for the manufacture of leather. 

The vStaftord Manufacturing Co. nowoccu])y 
Privileges Nos. i and 2, with a large lirick mill, 
built at different periods, and also owns the old 
Jenks mill, built in 1S24. The stone mill on 
No. 3, erected in 1S24, and the wooden mill on 
No. 4, built b>- Benedict i\: Wood in 1 S40, 
belong to the I'^arwell Worsted Co. These 
three old mills are in a \uvy ililapitated coudi- 



THE TOWN OF SMITIIFIELD. 



163 



tion, are antique in appearance, and 
])resent a strikintj contrast to the newer 
structures adjoining-. Thv I'aruell 
Worsted mill occupies the south hall 
of No. 4 and the north hall of No. 5. 
The American Hair Cloth Co. owns 
the south half of No. 5 and the whole 
of No. 6. All the water power now 
belongs to the.se three companies, and 
is owned and utilized on the west hank 
of the ri\-er. 

In i,S63 Rufus J. Stafford built the 
present dam. The old dam was located 
just above the bridge, and the mill 
trench ran under the roadwav. At that 
time the water power was reapportioneil, 
and the two trenches, the main trench 
leading to all the mills and the .Stafford 
independent trench, were constructed. 
The present apertures allowed to each 
one of the original six privileges are 
twent\- six feet each and vary in depth 
according to position on the trench from 
19 to 24 inches. 

The territory of the city of Central 
Falls, like its neighbor Pawtncket, was 
originally a part of the town of Providence. Late 
in the seventeenth and early in the eighteenth 
century, the inhabitants of Providence Plantation 
had pu.shed out into the northern and western 
wilderness, displacing the In.iian occupiers, 
and making homes for themsehes in the 
"North Woods." These sturdy pioneers in- 
crea.sed .so rapidly that in 1730 the " outlands " 
were erected into the three townships of Smith- 
field, Scituate and C.locester, which included 
the present towns known by these names and 
also Fo.ster, Hurrillville, North Smithfield, a 
large jiart of the city of Woonsocket. Lincoln 
and Central Falls— in fact the entire northern 
part of the state of Rhode Island. 




CHAS. P. MOIES, 

nftST MAYOR OF CENTRAL FALLS, 

Smithfield was at first a wholly agricultural 
territory, but with the growth of the cotton 
manufacture many factories were erected in its 
limits. The Blackstone river was the eastern 
boundary of the town, and along its banks as 
well as on its tributary, the Branch river, cotton 
mills and villages sprang into being on every 
available site during the first half of the present 
century. The population increa.sed more rapidl\- 
tliau in any other jiart of the state exceiH in 
i'i(.\ideiicc, and kept jiace with the ratio of 
increase there from 1800 to 1S40. Only one 
other section in Rhode Island rivaled Siiiilhfield 
in this growth, namely the town of Warwick, 
occupying the valley of the Pawtnxet river, but 



164 



ILLUSTRATKI) HISTOKV Ol' I'AWTUCKKT. 



that lagged ht-hiiul llic l)eaulitnl \allc>' ul llie 
Blackstone b<ith in tlic ratio of increase and in 
total population. The Providence and Worces- 
ter railroad, completed in 1847, followed the 
course of the Blackstone ri\er, and still further 
accelerated the growth of the manufacturing 
villages. Eventuall\- the jiortions of the old 
town along the rivers increased in population so 
greatly that differences in local interests necessi- 
tated political .separation. Accordingly, on 
March 8, 1871, the territory was divided into 
four sections. The rural district to the west 
retained the old name, the northern part, with 
several villages on the Branch river, became the 
town of Slater, but the name was soon changed 
to North Smithfield ; a small but densely popu- 
lated portion was aiuiexed to the town of Woon- 
socket ; and the remainder, comprising most of 
the busy villages on the Blackstone river, and 
including Central Falls, liecame the town of 
Lincoln. 

Central F'alls was the largest factor)- village 
in Smithfield and afterward in Lincoln. The 
occupation of all the water privileges in 1S24 
and soon after, brought a large population and 
created a place with considerable local trade 
which for a time rivaled Pawtucket. But the 
village was situated at the extreme southwest 
corner of the extensi\'e town of Smithfield, 
which had originally an area of 76 square miles, 
and the interests of the citizens of Central Falls 
were in manj- respects different from those of 
the people in the rest of the territory. In order 
to enable them to care for these interests at 
their own expense the Rhode Island General 
Assembly passed an act in 1S47, constituting 
the village a sort of municipal coqjoration 
under the name of the Central Falls Fire Dis- 
trict. While subject in general matters to the 
town, the district under this charter was author- 
ized to tax the citizens of the village for the 



niaintainance of fire apiiaralus and fire com- 
panies. As the communit\ increased, the power 
of the district was successive!}- enlarged by 
legislative amendments to its charter. In i860 
it was authorized to light the streets: in 1S75 
to maintain a ])olice force ; in 1877 to introduce 
a water supply ; in 1879 to issue bonds to pay 
for its water works : in 1882 to conduct a free 
public library. To carry out these projects the 
di.strict had the power of assessing taxes, but 
the taxpayers had likewise to pay the ordinary 
town taxes for the support of schools, highways, 
poor, and the general expenses of the town 
government. The fire district, became in 
essence a municipal corporation administering 
the local affairs of the inhabitants. In the 
matters with whieli it dealt its authoritv was 
not divided, hut unlike the ordinary muni- 
cipal or town government it did not cover the 
whole field of local affairs. 

The burden of the two sets of taxes, and 
the bother of two administrations gave rise to 
various attempts to bring the village under a 
government that would do away with these 
disadvantages. Proposals to unite with Paw- 
tucket were made on a number of occasions, but 
local jealous\- and political reasons prevented 
this consummation. The people in the remoter 
parts of Lincoln objected to the large expendi- 
tures of money in Central Falls for streets, 
sewers and similar exjx-nses, which were a 
benefit to the people there but conferred no ad- 
vantage on the rural districts. The town of 
I.,incoln at the time of its incorjioration had a 
population of about 9,000, which had increased 
in 1.S90 to 20,355, of which about two thirds 
were in Central Falls. As a consequence of 
the.se conditions a sentiment in favor of making 
Central I'^llls a citw grew U]) and gathered 
strength. Action was taken at the Lincoln 
town meetings of June 11 and Dec. 21, 1894, 



FORMATION OF THE CITY OF CFXTRAL FALLS. 



165 



that resulted in the passage of an act V)\- the 
Rhode Island General Assembly, Feb. 21, 1S95, 
creating the city of Central Falls, the remainder 
of the town to retain the name of Lincoln. This 
act was accejUed li> the citi/.ens at an election 
held Feb. 27, 1S95, by a vote of 1531 in favor to 
794 again.st ; but the majority was rolled up in 
the rural districts, as the vote in the three voting 
districts of Central Falls figured up a total on 
each side of 749. 

The first election under the city charter 
occurred March 15, 1895, and the city govern- 
ment was organized March i.s. The officers 
elected were : Mayor— Charles P. Moies ; 
Aldermen— Ka.stwood Ka.stwood, Hector Schil- 
ler, George M. Thornton, William J. Martin, 
Thomas L. Jollie ; Councilmen — Joseph F. 
Fales, Graham Cowperthwaite, Cjeorge H. 
vSpaulding, Myron Fish, Eugene B. Ponton, 
J. Curry McCartney, Francis H. Washburn, 
Charles !•;. Cummings, Peter Gorman, Allen 
r. Barber and Heiu'v Butters. 



The second city election occurred Dec. 2, 
1S95, and the following officers were elected. 
Mayor— William \dn Gottschalk ; Aldermen— 
p;astwood Fa.stvvood, Hermenigikle Fontaine, 
C;eorge M. Thornton. William J. Martin, 
Thomas L. Jollie ; Councilmen— Graham 
Cowperthwaite, Joseph E. Fales, George H. 
Spaulding, Myron Fish, Eugene B. Ponton, 
J. Curry McCartney, Francis H. Washburn, 
David Cohjuhoun, Peter Gorman, Allen U. 
Barber and John T. Peacock. 

The city of Central Falls is divided into 
five wards, each of which elects one alderman 
and two conunon councilmen but the first ward 
elects three councilmen. The administration is 
vested in the mayor and these two bodies, which 
together comprise the city council. The mayor 
is the chief executive, is a ju.stice of the peace, 
presides over the joint meetings of the city 
council, has the power of \-eto either in whole 
or in part of any action taken in concurrence 
by the conunon council and board of aldermen. 




^ ,\.m.^H 




BAPTIST CHURCH. 



BROAD STREET LOOKING NORTH FROM CROSS STREET CENTRAL FALLS. 



RESIDENCE OF EDWARD A. GREENE. 



1 66 



II.LU STRATI' D HISTORY OF PAWTl'CKICT. 



or of any action by either body invohinu- the 
expenditure of nione>' ; can fill \acancies in 
subordinate offices, and his appointees sliall 
remain in office until the position "shall be 
filled b\ the luuly liavini; the power of election 
or a]]pointnient." He likewise has the power 
of nominating the chief of jxilice anil the police 
constables, subject to the confirmation of the 
board of aldermen, and can suspend such officers 
for cause. 

Tlie board of aldermen has control of the 
])olice and in .y;eneral is a semi-executive body ; 
all licenses and permits are subject to its grant, 
and it also is empowered to abate taxes or assess- 
ments. The common council and the board of 
aldermen together constitute the city council, 
and by concurrent action the\' pass ordinances, 
le\-\' and collect ta.xes, a]i])ro]iriate money, care 
for the cit\' property and determine what officers 
are necessary to carry on the municipal business. 
In joint convention the two bodies elect each 
j-ear a city clerk, a cit\- treasurer, who is also a 
collector of taxes, a judge of i)robate, an over- 
.seer of the poor, a city auditor, an insjiector of 
plumbing, an inspector of l)uildings and other 
officers, as well as a board of street, water antl 
sewer connnissioners, consisting of three mem- 
bers. 

The i)opnlation of Central Falls in 1S95 was 
15,82s, and the valuation $iS, 531 ,000, on whit-h 
the tax rate was $1.50 per $100. The city is 
provided with a good system of .sewers built sev- 
eral years ago, which drain a large part of tlie 
territor\- on the east and empt\- into the Hlack- 
stone ri\-er. The western part of the territory is 
not provided with sewers, but the city owns a 
large area of land between Lonsdale avenue and 
the Moshassuck river, purchased at an expense 
of $20,000, wlu-rc it is intended to dispose of 
the sewerage of this section bv natural sand 
filtration. A large trunk sewer has alreadv 



been constructed here but has onl\- l)een used for 
the drainage of surface water up to the present. 

.\ good supjily of water has been obtained 
from the Pawtucket water works since they were 
]>ut into o])L-ration in iSj.S. The Central I'alls 
Fire District, and the cit\' as its successor, owns 
the ]npes and i)a\s Pawtucket for the water, 
receiving in return from the users an income 
large enough to pay the cost of maintainence, 
proN'ide for a sinking funtl and ])av interest on 
the water lionds that were issued to liear tlie 
expense of construction. 

In 1890, Ahin F. Jenks presented to Central 
Falls a little over four acres* of land between 
Hroad and Washington streets for a park to be 
known b\- his family name. Since then the 
area has been impro\ed by the construction of 
paths, shelters, fountains and an ele\-ated obser\- 
ator\- of uniipie form, from the jilatlorm of which 
a magnificent view of the surrounding country- 
is obtained. The surface of the park is ver\' 
irregular. In its limits is a high ledge of rocks 
on which the observatory is seated. The char- 
ter of the ground is excellently atlapted to the 
picturesque efforts that have been achieved. 
Up to the present about $50,000 has been spent 
in these im]iro\-ements. 

Central Falls is well ]irovided with public 
buildings. A fine brick high school, erected in 
1888, adjoins Jenks park, corner of Broad and 
Sunnnit streets. There are eight other school 
buildings, — fi\e wooden ones with four rooms 
each ; three of lirick, one with six rooms anil the 
other two with eight rooms each. Two com- 
modious file stations, both brick structures, one 
on liroud anil the other on Kendall street, are 
fitted out witli the best modern fire apparatus. 
Tile water su])])ly is so excellent that although 
one fire engine is owni-d it is liardh' ever used 



♦Tlie exact diniensions are 180, ■J54 si\\\j 




1 JOHN A. ADAMS, 



2 JOHN F. ADAMS, 
PRES'T STAFFORD MFG. CO. AND PROPRIETOR OF ADAMSDAIE, MASS. 



THE NEW ENGLAND ELECTROEVTIC ColM'lvR WORKS. 



167 




JAMES G. FALES, 

) GROCeR. 




except outside assistance is 
rendered. The City Hall is a 
commodious wooden building 
on Summit street, enlaroed to 
its present dimensions in 1S90. 
The cit\' is thus well jsrovided 
with all the conveniences for 
modern municipal house- 
keeping. 

A new and \ery success- 
ful industr\- in Central Falls 

is that carried on b>' the ■ 

New England Electrolytic nehemiah harding, 

Copper Co. The works oc- 
cupy the premises in the angle l)etween the railroad lines to 
Boston and Worcester, formerl\- known as the Sulli\'an boiler 
shops. The industr\- was started by H. R. Caulfield, who had 
spent considerable time in experimenting with the electrolytic 
process for extracting silver and gold from copper. He suc- 
ceeded in developing the process, and was able to so thoroughly 
demonstrate its utilil\- that he induced Eewisdhn liros., a jiroiip 
inent firm of New York ca])italists, to furnish the moiie\ for 
the cdiistruction of a small plant at Central Falls, with the 
under.standing that if the \'enture jiroved successful Mr. Caul- 
field would also construct a large plant for the Hostoii and 
Montana Mining Co., at (iieal h'alls, Mont. The Lewisuhn 



liros. were agents for this compain- and at that time had 
lloated the bonds of the cor])oration to the amount of $600,000, 
but tlie\' had not succeeded in securing a satisfactory .sy.stem of 
working the ore. 

Mr. Caulfield arri\-ed in Central Falls, Jan. 7, iSi;2, and b\- 
working day and night soon had the old boiler .shops in such 
shape that he was able to jjlace in position twentv-four vats, 
one small chiiamo, and a 60 horse-jiower Westinghouse engine. 
Tile work of preparation went on so well that the plant was 
pill in operation on Washington's birthdaw iNijj, and from tlie 
first was successful in the electrolytic production of coi)per. 
The Messrs. Lewisohn and the officers of the Boston iS: Montana 
Mining Co. arrived in Pawtucket a few days later, tested 

the copper, and found it of a 
1 higher grade than aii>- prev- 

iously produced in the United 
.States. As a result, Mr. Caul- 
field was immediately empow- 
ered to proceed to Great F'alls, 
Montana, where during the 
sjiring and summer of 1.S92 
he erected by contract a large 
jilant at a cost of $550,000. 
During 1892 Mr. Caulfield 
spent his time between Paw- 
tucket and Great Falls, and 
made si.x journeN's between 
the two places. 




1 68 



ILLUSTRATl'I) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT 



TIk- ciiiiinKTcial success of the jmirt'ss being 
(ull\- assured, it was decided to enlarge the 
Central I'alls works, particnlarh' as co])]ier 
could he laid down here as cheaplx' as in 
New York, and also as the hulk of the finished 
product is used in Xew luigland the market 
could he more readil\' and t-lieapl> su])plied 
from I'awtucket than from New York. At the 
beginning, the ]ilanl was producing 2000 pounds 
daily, hut under Mr. 
CauUleld's directiou 
enough vats were ]nit 
in to increa.se the out- 
put to 4500 per day. 
In 1893 over $80,000 
\va.s spent in engines, 
dynamos, vats a n tl 
buildings, and the 
production was in- 
creased to 700a iiounds 
per da\-. From time 
to time since tlien the 
plant has lieen still 
further enlarged until 
at the jiresent it rep- 
resents an outlay of 
more than a quarter 
of a million of dollars, 
and the dailx' outjjut 
is about 75,000 pounds 
of copper, besides 
thousands of dollars 

worth of gold and sih'er weekly. The cojiper 
is shipped to the wire drawers in various parts 
of New England, and some of it goes to Europe. 
" Pawtucket cojiper" is (ptoted among the very 
best grades produced . 

The works were at first conducted b>- the 
Lewisohn Bros., but the business was incorpor- 
ated late in 1892 under the present name of the 
New England IClectrolytic Copper Co., Eewisohn 




CUMBERLAND TOWN HALL VALLEY FALL'.. 



Bros, controlling the slock. In the beginuing 
Old)' ten or fifteen hands were emj)lo\ed, and 
the ])a\' roll was about Sjod weekl\-. At the 
])resenl 200 men are constant!)- em])lo\ed, the 
w orks run tla>' and night, Sundays and holidays, 
and the jiax- roll is more than $2000 weekly. 

Directly across the Blackstone ri\-er from 
Central Falls is Pleasant \'iew, which although 
a jiopulous sulnirb of Pawtucket owes its growth 
to Central Falls. 
About 1 850, F;iijah 
Ingraham bought a 
farm here antl laid it 
out in house lots. In 
order to ojien u]) tlie 
territor\' a w 00 d e n 
bridge was thrown 
o\er the ri\-er at the 
foot of Cross street in 
1853. Pre\-ious to 
that time the jilace 
c(ndd onh' be reached 
by the Mill street 
liridge.* 

The first industry 
started on the Pleas- 
ant \'iew side of the 
river was the manu- 
facture of thread .spools 
b\' Robert and (jeorge 
Cu.shman in 1857, in 
a .stone building at the 
east end of the new bridge. This business was 
established by Robert Cushman in 1847 in a small 
shop in Cumberland. As the method of making 
s])ools at that time was very crude and unsatis- 
factorw Mr. Cushman, in c(niiunction with one 
of his workmen, designed new machinery on 
the i)rinciples wliich have since that time been 

•Historical Sketcfi of Pawtucket, p. 143. 



PLEASANT VIEW 



169 



used in this manufacture. In 1S50 lie removed 
the business to Central Falls, where it was 
located in the linildinti; now occupied 1)\' 
Weatherhead, Thoni])son (Jt Co., which at that 
time occupied the jiresent site of the mill of the 
Pawtucket Hair Cloth Co. The business was 
carried on in this bnildini; until i.*^57, when the 
new firm of R. iS: Cr. Cushman remo\-ed across 
the river into Pleasant View. With its removal 
the business increased, and an impetus was 
thereby given to the growth of the locality. 
The only dwellings here at that period were an 
old farmhou.se and a slaughter house which had 
been converted into a residence,* but about 1S63 
a boom in house building occurred and many 
houses were erected. The business of R. iS: (i. 
Cu.shman continued to increase. The firm 
became Cushman, Phillips cS: Co. in i.S6,S, in 
1875 was succeeded by the firm of Atwood, 
Crawford & Co., and was incorporated in 1S90 
under the name of The Atwood Crawford Co. 
The ])resident, Abiier Atwood, has been con- 
nected with the business since uS66, and much 
of the success is due to his enterprise and 
energy. 

The growth of Pleasant \"iew was very 
materially heljied by the erection here in i860 
of the Greene & Daniels mill, which was en- 
larged to its present dimensions in 1866. It is 
one of the largest mills in Pawtucket, 407 feet 
long, 67 feet wide, and five stories in height. 
Seated on high ground jmrallel to the river, 
facing the mills at Central Falls, it presents 
with its two high towers, an imposing appear- 
ance. The firm of Greene & Daniels began 
business in Central Falls in 1855 in the Moies 
& Jenks' mills and also operated the Andrew 
Jenks' mill. The members of the firm, Benja- 
min F". Greene and Gen. Horace Daniels, had 

tHistorical Sketch of Pawtucket, p. 100. 



had practical experience in the manufacture of 
yarn and thread for many years previous to this 
time, and Mr. Greene had worked in the mills 
of Central Falls as earl\- as 1S24. Tlie\- had 
built u]i a large business as thread manufac- 
turers, which is .still maintained by their succes- 
sors, the Greene & Daniels Ma-nufacturing Co., 
the president of which is lulward A. Greene, 
son of the senior partner of the original firm. 

One of the industries which belongs within 
the purlieus of Pleasant View is the large cotton 
machinery manufactorj- of the Howard & Bul- 




ARTHUR B. MANN, 

AGENT UNITED STATES COTTON CO. 



lough American Machine Co.. limited, built in 
1894. This establishment is, however, just ox'er 
the line from Pawtucket, and is in the town of 
Attleboro, Mass. A desire has been expressed 
to annex a small portion of Attleboro to Paw- 
tucket, the district where this factory stands, 
and the region immediately adjoining, including 
the Home Bleach and Dye Works, but so far 
nothing definite has been accomplished. These 
concerns, however are always spoken of as 



I i.i.rsTRA'n: 1) history oi' fawtuck irr. 



hfinj; ill ra\\liu-ki.-t, ami i1il'\' iiatuiall\- hcloiii; 
to that cit>' iiulustriallw 

\'alk-y l'"alls is a iiiaiuilactuiiui; \-illa,m.- 
Ixiiii; on lioth sides of the Hhu'kstont- rixx-r, and 
is distant about a mile in a northerly direction 
from tin.- original village and mills at Central 
I'alls. The ])ortioii on the south side of the 
ri\er i.s now included in the cit\- of Central 
I-'alls, but the other side is in the town of Cum- 
berland, and to that part the name is now more 
specifically applied. The district between the 
old villages of Central Falls and \'alle\- Falls 
is now one of the busiest sections in the new 
city of Central Falls and has many retail stores. 
\'alley Falls is now incorporated as a fire district. 

At the beginning of the centur\- \'alle\' 
Falls had only two houses, one the residence of 
Joseph Jenks, a grandson of Gov. Jenks, and 
the other the house of F^jihraiiii Jenks, the .son 
of Joseph.* The water power had not been 
utilized, the river was in its iiati\e condition. 
and here was one of the fords or wading places. 

Abraham, Isaac and David Wilkinson pur- 
chased from Joseph Jenks in April, 1S12, sixteen 
acres of land including the water privilege, t at 
\'alley Falls and a right of way through the 
Jenks estate to Central Falls. David sold out 
his interest to his brothers in November of the 
same year. Thex- do not seem to have utilized 
the property immediately, but ])robably ])ro- 
ceeded to put the place into condition for the 
mills they afterwards erected. 

Isaac Wilkinson about 181 2 built the \'alle>- 
Falls turnpike, now Broad street, from Paw- 
tucket to the cross-roads at the Catholic Oak, 
Lonsdale. The two Wilkinson brothers built a 
stone mill about 1S20, on the Smithfield side of 
the ri\-er. William Harris also built a mill 
about the same ])eriod, and he and his brother. 

•Benedict's Keiniiiisceiices, No. 9. 
tHistory of Smithfield, p. 110. 



S. 1!. Harris, o])erate<I mills here until their 
failure in i.S^ij. With the failure of the Wilkin- 
sons ill I.S21J their mills and those of the Harrises 
passed into other hands. Henry Marchant and 
Benjamin Fessendeii, sons-in-law of Isaac Wil- 
kinson, formed with others the \'alle\' F'alls 
Coiiipaii> in i.'^.^.v Mr. Fessenden subsequently 
became interested in the Abbott Run Manufac- 
turing Co., which started alxnit 1.S2.S the mills 
at Happy Hollow and operated them for many 
years. These premi.ses and the water jxiwer 
finally passed into the hands of the city of Paw- 
tucket when the water works were constructed. 

Crawfoixl Allen built the stone mill on the 
Cumberland side in 183,1. In 1839 it was ])ur- 
cha.sed by Olixer Chace, the pioneer cotton manu- 
facturer in F'all River, who leased it to his .sons, 
Harvey and Samuel B., and they operated it in 
the manufacture of cotton cloth until 1852, 
when on the death of their father the\- and their 
brother Oliver formed the X'alleN' Falls Co. At 
this time they purchased the two mills on the 
vSmithfield side, of which the wooden one was 
erected in 1844 and the brick one in 1844, and 
thus became possessed of all the mills and water 
power on both sides of the river. 

The Chace family were \er\- successful 
manufacturers and operated mills at .Mbion and 
Manville, R, I., Moodus, Conn., and at Fall 
River. In 1868 the two brothers divided the 
jiroperty, vSamuel B. taking the A'alley Falls 
mills and Harvey the Albion. I''all Ri\er and 
Moodus factories. After that date inan\- im- 
provements were made at \"alley Falls and the 
mills on the Cumberland side were more than 
doul)led in size. A large stone dam, l)nilt in 
1854, is one of the finest on the Blackstone river. 

The two branches of the Chace family ha\-e 
recentl\' exchanged properties, the Albion Co. 
taking jio.s.session of the mills at Valley F'alls, 
and the \'alle\- I''alls Co. becoming the owner of 



LONSDAI.K. 



thosL- at MiiikIus, Ciiiiii., and Albion, R. I. 
James H. and Jonathan, the son.s of Hai'\c\' 
Chace, are the treasnrer.s of tlie Albion Co., 
and Arnold B., the son of Samuel B. Chace, is 
treasurer of the Valley Falls Co. The main 
office of the Valley Falls Co. is at Albion, and 
the main ofHce of the Albion Co. is at \'alle>- 
I'alls in the limits of the city of Central Falls. 

The Chaces ha\-e been Quakers for gener- 
ations, and many mendiers of the famil\- still 
adhere to that faith. They were active in the 
antislavery movement, and their home at 
\"alley Falls was one of the 
stations of the " undergronnil 
railroad" for fugitive slaves in 
ante-bellum times. Mrs. Eliza- 
beth B. Chace, the widow of 
.Samuel B., has during her 
long life taken an active and 
conspicuous jiart in the women's 
rights, temperance and other 
reform movements, and their 
daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth B. 
(Chace) \V\nian is well known 
for her stories of New Fjigland 
factory life and for her maga- 
zine articles, and is a speaker 
and writer of more than usual 
ability. Jonathan Chace rejivesented Rhode 
Island in Congress from Dec. i, iS.Si, to Jan. 
26, 1885, when he was elected Ignited States 
Senator and served to March, 1889, when he 
resigned. 

Lon.sdale, one mile above \'alley Falls on 
the Blackstone river, consi.sts of two villages, 
known as the old and the new, the former on 
the Lincoln side of the river and the latter in 
Cumberland. The erection of a cotton mill 
was begun by Brown cv: Ives at the old village 
in 1829, and it was started in 18,^2.* This firm, 

•History of Siiiilhfitld, p. loll. 



ABRAHAM Z. 



the successor of an old mercantile house of 
l'ro\i(lence dating back to earl>- in the last cen- 
tur\-, is now one of the chief manufacturing cor- 
])orations in the country. There are a number 
of large cotton mills at Lonsdale on both sides 
of the river, and they are operated by the Lons- 
dale Co., one of the branches of the Brown & 
Ives interest, and the (loddard brothers are the 
agents. The x'illage on the Cumberland side 
occupies the land formerly owned by the Rev. 
William Blackstone, the first white settler in 
Rhode Island, and the Ann and Hope mill 
is on the site of his house.* 
Lonsdale has always been a 
model cotton mill village, with 
good school and church ac- 
commodations, the dwellings 
are commodious and tasteful, 
the operatives receive good 
average wages, and the sur- 
roundings have been a credit 
both to the corporation and 
people. With the exception 
of a certain arbitrary and 
autocratic method of local 
control, which in the past has 
FALCON M.D. .soHietiuies been irritating and 

offensive, the .social and neigh- 
liorhood conditions have always been of the 
most pleasant character, and the tone of the 
conununity has been much above the average 
factory locality. In the old village are two 
churches, a Baptist and Episcopal, a public 
library is maintained, and there is a large 
brick .schoolhouse built l)y the corporation. 
The Catholic Oakt a venerable tree now 
standing in the new village of Lonstlale at the 
junction of the highway from Valley Falls and 
the road to the old village, received its name 

*See Chapter 1. p. l(i. 
tSee initial, page 9. 




ILLUvSTK ATJ'D HISTORY OI' P AW T f C K I'T 



from the lad that, Iroiii about the time of the 
origin of the vilhige u]) to iS6o, religious ser- 
vices were held frequentl\' beneath its outspread- 
ing branches. These meetings were mainl\- con- 
ducted at first by Rev. James Cook Richmond, 
an Episcopal clergyman who was the first rector 
of TrinitN' i)arish in Pawtucket. He gave the 
tree its name. Other denominations afterwards 
held meetings in its shadow, and for a time 
it served as a church for the neigliborhood. 

The village of Saylesville, on the Moshas- 
suck river, is in the town of lyincoln, just over 
the line from the northwest corner of the terri- 
tory of Central P'alls, and is about a mile south 
from Lonsdale. Settlers from Providence located 
in this neighborhood long before 1700, and sev- 
eral very old dwelling houses still exist in the 
vicinity.* The water power on the Mo.shassuck 
river was utilized early in the present century 
above Saylesville for small cotton mills and 
printworks. One of the.se, the Butterfly factory, 
erected for a cotton mill, but afterwards con- 
verted into a printwork, has some local fame, 
and receives its name on account of a represen- 
tation of a butterfly built into the stone work of 
the front wall, between two windows on the 
second story. The large bleachery business of 
W. F. & F. C. vSayles was established in 1S47 
on a small scale by William F. vSaxles and has 
grown until it is one of the largest concerns of 
the kind in the country. The works co\-er an 
area of thirty acres and employ over four hun- 
dred persons. A large village now exi.sts in 
the neighborhood and is named after Mr. Sayles. 
In Saylesville is a memorial church, erected liy 
Mr. Sayles. About a half a mile north of 
Saylesville is the old Smithfield meeting-house 



*Cliapter 2, p. 



Chapter 7, p. 



of the Friends, of which the original ]iart was 
erected about 1704, and the remainder about 
1745. The old edifice is still utilized b\- the 
Quakers for occasional services. Sa\les\ille 
was organized as a fire district July i, 1896, 
under a charter granted bj' the General Assembly 
the preceding May. 

Other localities of Pawtucket that are 
developing by the erection of residences are the 
districts known as Lorraine and Fairlawn. The 
first named is in the neighborhood of the 
Lorraine mills, and is occujiied chiefl>' by the 
people who work in those factories. P'airlawn 
is the name applied to the region at the end of 
Weeden street, which has Ijeen rendered acces- 
sible within a few jears by the electric cars. 
Many dw-ellings of a good cla.ss have been 
recently erected here, and the neighborhood is 
pleasant and attractive. 

Central Falls, \'alley P'alls, Lonsdale and 
Saylesville, are all intimately connected with 
Pawtucket. They are parts of the indu.strial 
community of which it is the chief member. 
Eventuallx' the>- will probably all become incor- 
porated with it jioliticallx', forming a Oreater 
Pawtucket, which will thereby become in popu- 
lation a city of between fifty and sixty thousand 
inhabitants. This c|ne.stion of annexation is no 
new idea but has been broached fre(iuently 
during the past half century. A jiroposition to 
annex A'alley P'alls and Central P'alls was con- 
sidered in a North Providence town meeting as 
far back as Oct. 3, 1846, but was then decided 
in the negative. Political reasons and local 
jealousy have jirevented these consolidations so 
far, but the actual interests of these different 
localities will without doubt ultiinatel\- bring- 
about a union. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



KI'I.IGION AND KDT'CATION. 



THIv inhabitants 
of Pawtucket 
on the Rhode 
Island side were from 
tlie time of the first 
settlement members 
or attendants of the 
First Baptist church 
at Providence, but 
the people on the 
other side of the river 
belonged to the Con- 
gregational church in 
Rehoboth. For more 
than a hundred years 
after the coming of 
the first settler, no 
churches existed 
nearer to the little settlement at the falls. The 
Providence church was about four miles to the 
southwest ; the Rehoboth church was three 
miles to the southeast. Attendance at either 
entailed a long journey, to which, however, 
custom soon inured the people here as in other 
pioneer localities. 

There was a fundamental difference between 
the two churches and the attitude of the people 
toward them. In Providence Plantations free- 
dom prevailed. A person could go to church, 
stay away, or found another church without 




SAYLES MEMORIAL CHAPEL, 

SAYLESVILLE. 



incurring legal penalties. Roger Williams's 
doctrine of soul liberty and the divorce of 
church from state, was in practice. Neverthe- 
less the people of Providence and the dwellers 
at Pawtucket were religious. Ebenezer Jenks, 
one of the sons of Joseph Jenks, Jr., was the 
pa.stor of the First Baptist church of Provi- 
dence from 1 7 19 until his death in 1726 ; and 
on the testimony of Esek Esten, the genealogist 
of the Jenks, the first generations were a church 
going people,* but attendance was voluntary 
and church membership had no political signifi- 
cance. 

In Rehoboth conditions were different. As 
in the other settlements of the Old Colony and 
of Massachusetts, the church was a political 
institution as well as a religious organization. 
It was as much a part of the civil government 
as is the fire department in modern cities. The 
expense of building the church edifice and the 
jiar.sonage, maintaining services and paying 
the minister, were all met out of the public 
funds. The people were not as a result more 
religious, but every citizen was thereby obliged 
to contribute to the support of the established 
religion, and .some of them naturally felt under 
such circumstances that they ought to attend 
services in order to get their money's worth. 

•Pawtucket Chronicle, Dec. 12, 19, 26, 1834. 



174 



ILU'STK A'ri:i) HISTORY ( ) !• I'AW T U C K I'lT. 



Tile exani])le of tlic liX'cdoiii ciijnycd in l'ru\- 
idciicc Flaiitatiniis was one of the causes that 
j)roin])l<.-(l iiulepciiileiit action in religious mat- 
ters in Kclioliotli, but the spirit of enligliten- 
ment then abroad was likewise responsible for 
inducing stei)S in that direction. Tlie first man 
who thus asserted his rii;lit to reli.L;ious libertx' 
in Rehoboth was Obadiali Holmes, who was 
publiclx' whipped in Boston, for the lej;al 




REPRESENTATIV 



F. C. GARVIN, 
,ND 1883-7,1893,1895; SENATOR, 



" crimes of preaching the gospel, administering 
the sacrament while under sentence of excom- 
munication, rebaptizing jjcrsons who had been 
before baptized, disclaiming against the sprink- 
ling of infants, and such like charges."* It 
has been claimed that the Rehoboth people did 
not approve of this punishment of Mr. Holmes, t 
and the^' probabl\' would not h:\vv ]iroceeded to 

•History of Kehobotli, ]>. ■Jiiii. 
tNewmaii's Oration, p. I'd. 



the e.\tiemit\- that the brutal ministerial breth- 
ren in Massachusetts were guilty of. Ciov. 
Jo>e])h Jenks left a manuscript record of the 
whi])ping of ()badiah Holmes, which occurred 
vSeplemljer, 1651, in the following words : " Mr. 
Holmes was whi])]ied thirty stripes, and in such 
an unmerciful manner- that in many days, if 
not some weeks, he could take no rest, but la\' 
upon his knees and elbows, not being able to 
suffer any part of his body to touch the bed 
whereon he la>."' This persecution did not 
lessen the number of per.sons that believed in 
religious freedom, who were at that period 
mainly I5aptists, of which creed the church in 
Providence was the first in the countrv. The 
adherents of this faith establi.shed a church in 
Rehoboth in 166-^, but the members of the new 
society were fined each ^,5 for the sin of schism. 
.\fter \'arious removals they finallv estalilished 
themseh'es in a place apart, and founded the 
town of vSwansey, Mass., in 1663. The Rev. 
John Miles was the minister of this church and 
one of the chief promoters of the new town.t 
.As time jiassed the opposition to the compulsory 
su]iport of the church and ministr\- gradually- 
Ijecame stronger, and in the course of events 
resulted, after much friction and some persecu- 
tion of the Quakers and Baptists, in the separa- 
tion of the church from the state. Hut this 
consummation was not legalh' accomplished in 
Rehoboth until 1794. + 

The old Newman church still exists, but 
under the modern form of voluntary organiza- 
tion, at Rumford, h'ast I'ro\idence. The 
existing edifice, built in i.Sio, was renuidelled 
in i8t)i.*! The First Haptist church of Rro\-i- 

*History of Relioboth, ]). L'iKi. 
tllistory of Rehoboth, pp. li:!, (i4. 
JHislory of Relioboth, p. -'27. 

§Historical Address on Xcwni.ui Church, by Rev. 
Leonard L. Ferris, p. 54. 



THE FRIENDS' MEETING-HOUSE. 



deuce as it now stands was erected in 1774-3. 
but has undergone many changes and alter- 
ations. The conunencenient exercises of Brown 
Universitj- are held in this hi.storic edifice. 

The brutality and lack of consideration for 
others, manifested in their religious affairs by 
the Pilgrims and Puritans, were carried into 
other relations of 
life. These char- 
acteristics were 
shown in a marked 
degree in the treat- 
ment of the In- 
dians, leading to 
the cruelty and 
disregard of rights 
that were among 
the chief causes 
which brought 
about King Phil- 
ip's and other In- 
dian wars. C)n the 
other hand the free- 
dom and toleration 
prevailing in Prov- 
idence Plantations 
was a higher eth- 
ical development. 
Roger Williams 
and his associates 
were more civil- 
ized. They re- 
garded the rights aiore/. 
of the Indians more 

carefully and consequently their relations with 
them were always more peaceful. In the 
fullness of time the higher ethical idea con- 
quered the lower, the freedom of Pro\idence 
Plantations and the spirit of its founder ]ire- 
vailed, and permeated not only the home of the 
apostle of .soul liberty but also the common- 




wealth that had rejected him. Nevertheless, 
the sturdy conscientiousness that lay at the bot- 
tom of the insistence by the Puritans and the 
Pilgrims on their own exclusive way in religious 
matters was only a virtue per\-erted. When 
mellowed by consideration for others it has 
become a public .spirit, potent as a directing and 
shaping force, and 
making for pro- 
gress. 

The first edifice 
for religious wor- 
ship in the vicinity 
of I'awtucket was 
the Friends' meet- 
ing-house, erected 
"between June, 
1703, and Jul\'. 
1704,"* which is 
still standing half 
a mile beyond the 
village of Sa\les- 
ville, in its original 
location. It was 
enlarged and re- 
modeled about 
1745, and n o w 
exists in its out- 
ward form substan- 
tially as it then 
stood. Man\- of 
the early inhabit- 
ants of this region 
of country were 
Quakers. The toleration and sym])atliy which 
the Rhode Island people manifested to this at 
fir.st despised sect was the means of encouraging 
the spread of their doctrines, and a large pro- 
jiortion of the jiojiulation became adherents of 



CURRIER, 

.ND PRESIDENT CUMBERLAND TOWN ( 



•Annals of Providence, p. 424 ; see chap. 3, p. 33. 



176 



ILLUvSTRATlvI) HISTORY OF PAW TUCKET. 



the new faith. Before the divi.sion of the town 
of Providenee in 17,^0 there were four Friends' 
meeting-house.s in the town, and of these this 
one was the oldest. It was sul)sequenll>- 
known as the lower Smithfield meeting-house. 

After the successful beginning of cotton 
spinning Pawtucket had " become a large com- 
pact village of upward of fifty families within a 
quarter of a mile of the center." * Many of the 
leading inhabitants on both sides of the river 
came to the conclusion that the community 
needed a religious meeting house. vSome of 
the village fathers gathered on Nov. 26, 1792, 
at the hou.se of Samuel Healy ; Capt. vStephen 
Jenks presided, Esek E.sten was clerk, and 
Nathaniel Croade, Esek E.sten, and Jerathmeel 
Jenks were appointed a committee to devise a 
plan to .secure a lot of land and erect a building. 
At an adjourned meeting held in the same house, 
Dec. 10, the committee reported in favor of pur- 
chasing for $50 a lot of nine rods square belong- 
ing to Samuel Healey, and suggested that the 
mone}' to build the meeting-house be raised b\' 
subscription. Nicholas Brown, of Providence, 
who was present, offered to pay for the lot, and 
Samuel Healey and Cornelius Sweetland agreed 
to give land for a highway leading to it. The.se 
proposals were accepted, and vSamuel Healey 
and Jerathmeel Jenks were appointed to solicit 
subscriptions, which were secured to the amount 
of $800. The committee was instructed to 
erect a house 45 by 36 feet and with 22 feet 
posts as soon as deeds of the lot and of the land 
for the roadway had been secured. At a meet- 
ing held on March 4, 1793, in the Slack tavern, 
Daniel Toler, Col. lUiphalet Slack and Stephen 
Jenks, Jr., were appointed trustees of the deed 
of the meeting-house lot. 

A charter which went into effect the second 
Wednesday in May, 1793, was then obtained 

•Historical Sketch of Pawtucket. p. 161. 



from the Rhode Island (General .\ssembly, incor- 
porating the subscribers as the "Catholic 
Bapti.st Society at Pawtucket in North Provi- 
dence." This gave the Baptists the right on 
"the first days of the week" to the use of the 
edifice to be erected, but provided that at other 
times any denomination of Christians at the 
request of any four reputable householders of 
Pawtucket could hold meetings. The names 
of these incorporators show that this movement 
was not .strictlj' along denominational lines but 
rather on the broader basis of good citizenship. 
Some of the subscribers indeed were not citizens 
or residents in Pawtucket but probably had bus- 
iness or social intere.sts in the place. The lists 
of names was as follows: " Samuel Healy, 
Jerathmeel Jenks, Oliver Bucklin, Nathaniel 
Croade, Benjamin Jenks, James Mason, James 
Durfee, James Weeden, Nathaniel Walker, 
Jun'r, I)a\-id Jenks, Thomas Spears, Stephen 
Jenks, Jun'r, Levi Jenks, Moses Jenks, John 
Pitcher, Moses Baker, Daniel Toler, Stejihen 
Jenks, Cieorge Jenks, Benjamin Kingsle\-, John 
Bucklin, S. Bowers, Jun'r, Comfort Jenks, 
Samuel Benchly, William Bagley, Jun'r, Ezra 
Barrows, Josiah Armington, D. Walker, Ezekiel 
Carpenter, Samuel Jenks, George Nicholas, 
Samuel Slack, O. Carpenter, Samuel Slater, 
Jesse Salisbury, Je.sse Busbee, Ivphraim Jenks, 
Luther Hawkins, Peter Bicknell, Esek Jenks, 
Ebenezer Tyler, Eleazer Jenks, George Ben- 
.son, John Brown, Nicholas Brown, Thomas 
P. Ives, and Aretas Sweetland, or such and 
so many of them as .shall convene on the 
second Wednesday of May, A. D. 1793, at 
the house of Samuel Healy, in North Provi- 
dence, on the business of their charter." The 
Quakers alone seem to have held aloof from 
this enterpri.se but it should be remembered 
they had the Smithfield meeting-house at their 
disposal. 



CH 



URCHES OF PAWTUCKET AND VICIXITV. 



1/7 




3. CMRISTCHOBCH, LONSDALE. 

6, FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, PAWTUCKET. 



2. HOLY TRINITY CHURCH CENTRAL FALLS. 
4, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH PAWTUCKET. 
6. ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH PAWTUCKET. 



ILLUSTRATI'I) HISTORY OF P A \VT f C K IvT. 



Xotwilhslamliiig this excc-lkiU prfliiuinary 
action the iiK-i.-tini;-h()Use "stood inLT(.-l\- i.-u- 
closed. without floors," for years, and the lirst 
religious nicetin_i;s in the \-illage were held in 
the red schoolhouse.* The new street leadint; 
to the house of worship was known as BajHist 
Uuie, and is now the jiresent Meetiui; street. 
Tlie first edifice occujiied a ]>ortion ol tlie lot 
where the First Bajitist churcli now is. 

The Catliolic Baptist Society exi.sted lor a 
number of years without becoming a church 
organization, and Stephen Jenks was moderator, 
Jerathmeel Jenks treasurer, and 
Stephen Jenks, Jr., clerk. 
Under its auspices when the 
building was completed meet- 
ings were occasionalh' held. 
Rev. Joshua Bradley was en- 
gaged to preach for six months 
in 1799. Re\'. Dr. Asa Messer, 
afterwards president of Brown 
University, preached occasion- 
ally, and other clergymen occu- 
pied the jnd])it at various times. 
In September, 1S04, a 
Brown University student from 
Providence, David Benedict, 
began to preach in the meeting- 
house, and labor among the people. A religious 
interest was thereby aroused, and as a result in 
August 1805, a church was organized with lhirt.\- 
nine members. The young preacher did not 
graduate from college until 1806, but he kept u]) 
his work in Pawtucket, and in October of that 
y^ear he was regularly ordained as pastor. The 
ordination sermon was preached by the Re\'. 
vStephen Gano, the minister at that ])eriod ol the 
First Baptist church in Providence. The t'hurch 
increased and prospered under his niinistr\-. 




CHARLES A. McCALLU 
DRUGGIST. 



•Benedict's RiMninisceiices, No. S. 



and Dr. Benedict continued as pastor until 1.S29, 
when he resigned, and dex'oted the remainder 
(it his lile to literary labors. He was the first 
settled minister in Pawtucket. 

Dr. Benedict wrote a history of the Baptists, 
published in 1813, antl various other works on 
church history. He was a frequent contributor 
to periodicals and newsjjapers. His rennniscenccs 
of Pawtucket, jjublished in 1853-4-5, 185.S and 
i,S64, in the Pawtucket Gazette and Chronicle, 
whit-h howe\-er were never printed in book form, 
contain much \aluable data about the histor\- 
of Pawtucket. An abridgeil 
form of these reminiscences 
was jntblished in the Paw- 
tiicket and Central Falls direc- 
tory for 1S69-70. Dr. Benedict 
was born in Norwalk, Conn., 
Oct. 10, 1779. He learned to 
be a shoemaker, and worked 
at that trade for a year or two, 
but then prepared for college. 
Ma.\- 4, 1808, he was married to 
Margaret Hubbell, daughter of 
the Rev. Stephen Gan<i, and 
the\- had a famil\- of twehe 
children. He died at Paw- 
tucket Dec. 5, 1874. 
The successive pastors after Dr. Benedict 
have l)een Re\-. Calvin Philleo, who served 
from January 1830 to May 1833; Rev. J<ihn 
Blain, October 1833 to .September 1834; Re\'. 
Silas Spaulding, October 1834 to October 1840; 
Rev. S. S. Bradford, June 1841 to Jan. 1851, 
Rev. Edward vSavage, March 1853 to August 
1855; Rev. Jo.se])h Banvard, I). I).. l'ebruar>- 
1857 to March 1862; Rev. Charles I".. Smith. 
August i863to.\pril i86,S; Rew George BnlU-n, 
D. D., September 1868 to March 1891 ; Rev. 
Adelbert vS. Coates, September 1891 to .Septem- 
ber, 1893. The present pastor. Rev. Daniel W. 



BAPTIST CHI-RCHKS. 




wM. T. burrow; 

PT. GLENLYON DYE-WOSKS. 




IRVING F. PATT, 



Faniice. D.l)., began his term 
of service January, 1H94. 

The original building was 
enlarged in 18 13 and again in 
1823, and in 1842 was sold 
and moved off the lot. The 
present church edifice was 
erected in 1842, but was en- 
larged in 1869-70. In 1841, 
by special act of the General 
Assembly, the name was 
changed from the Catholic 
Baptist to the First Baptist 
society. 

There are several other Baptist churches in Pawtucket and 
vicinity. The Pleasant A'iew Baptist church was built in 
1S76, the church society formed April 30, 1880, and the present 
pastor is Rev. H. B. Hutchins. The Central Falls BaptLst 
church is on the corner of Broad and Central .streets. The 
Lonsdale Baptist church was organized in 1843. The Wood- 
lawn Baptist chapel is on Lonsdale avenue, opposite Centre 
street. 

On the east side a church was organized Oct. 7, 1820, 
by Elder Ray Potter, under the name of the Free Will Baptist 
society. Meetings were at first held in the old l)rick school- 
house, which occu]>ied the site where at a later period the 



town hall was erected. In 1822 a church was built adjoining 
the brick schoolhouse, on a lot donated b\- Timothv Greene, 
William Wilkinson and Samuel Slater, by a deed dated July 
9, 1 82 I, The building at first was only 35 feet in width by 40 
in length, and was severely plain in appearance. It was en- 
larged in 1846 and again in 1856. In 1884 the pre.sent modern 
slructme on Broadway was erected, and was dedicated Oct. 15. 
The old edifice was then sold to the town, and for some years 
was used as a ward-room and for other public purposes; then 
became the property of the N'eteran I-'iremen's As.sociation, 
and is now the house of worship of the Union Baptist church. 
IClder Potter was the first pa.stor of the original church, but 
a division took place under his ministry, it is said on account of 

of a change in his doctrinal 
views. Both factions claimed 
the church building, but the 
dispute as to the property 
was left to referees, who de- 
cided agaiiust Elder Potter 
and his people. Elder Potter 
was i^astor until May 21, 1821. 
He with his ailherents then 
established another church, 
which for a while worshipped 
in the brick schoolhouse. 
This society s u b s e c{ u e n 1 1 y 
erected a church which was 




FRANK O. DRAPER, 

. PU&LIC SCHOOLS, CENTRAL FALLS. 



I So 



ILLUSTRATl". 1) HISTORY OF P AWTU C K IvT. 



loni; kiKiwn as Ivlck-r I'ottiT's, and is saiil to have 
stood on I'itchfrstix-fl until sonic tina- in the '40s. 

Alter this affair the church seems to ha\e 
been reorganized, for the official records say that 
it was "organized May 28, 1S22, in connection 
w ith the Rhode Island Free Will Baptist Quar- 
terl\- Meeting," and the first jiastor under this 
new regime was Rew Reuben Allen who served 
lor a while in 1.S22. Ivlder Daniel Cireene, the 
leader of the victorious faction and a son of 
TimotliN' Oreene, then became the pastor of the 
original church, which to distinguish it from 
that of the seceders was for many years known 
b\- his name.* He was the minister until 1832. 

The subseciuent pastors of the church have 
been, Mr. Loring, 1832-3 ; Maxey W. Burlin- 
game, 1S34-6: Rev. Hiram Brooks, 1836-8; 
Rev. vStephen Battey, 1838-9 ; Rev. Samuel 
Davis, 1839: Rev. Thomas Johnson, 1839-40; 
Re\-. Manuel J. (lOnsalves, 1840-42 ; Rew Tap- 
]>an H. Bacheller, 1842-6; Rev. Joseph Whitte- 
more, 1846-9; Rev. John Culver, 1849-50; Rew 
Alvah D. Williams, 1850-5; Re\-. Justis Erskine, 
■•^SS"? ; Rev. lulward L. Clark, 1857-8; Rev. 
Charles Purington, [858-9; Rev. James H. M. 
Dow, 1S59-61 ; Rev. Samuel 1). Church, 1863-7; 
Rev. Isaac Hyatt, 1867-72 ; Rev. David Boyd, 
1872-7; Rev. Frank E. Davidson, 1877-81 ; Rev. 
Charles S. Fro.st, 1881-5; Rev. Jeremiah Phillips, 
1885-6; Rev. Charles S. Frost, 1886-91; Rev. 
J. B. Jordan, 1S91-5. The present pa.stor is 
Rev. J. H. Roberts, who began his connection 
with the church in 1895.1' 

There are two Free Bapti.st missions in 
Pawtucket, the Central avenue mission at 733 
Central avenue, and the Bethau}-, on Way land 
avenue, corner Walker street. 



♦History of Ri-hohoth, pp. i;4t-."i. 

tPawUickft CaziUfand Chronic le, Ortolii-r 17 and 
24, 1884. 



'i'he Pawtucket Congregational church dates 
from 1828. In that year a charter of incorpora- 
tion was secured from the Massachu.setts legis- 
lature, and Clark Sayles was engaged to erect 
a building, which was finished early in 1829. 
A church composed of nine persons, one man 
and eight women, who had withdrawn from the 
Congregational church in Altleboro, was organ- 
ized April 17, 1829. with Rev. Asa T. Hopkins 
as the minister. Rev. Barnabas Phinney be- 
came pastor in 1S33, and was succeeded in 1836 
by Rev. Con.stantine Blodgett, who held the 
ofhce until June, 1871. Rev. Josej>h J. Woolley 
was then mini.ster until the formation of the 
Park Place church, when he was succeeded 
after the lapse of a year by the present pa.stor, 
Rev. Alexander McGregor. The original church 
edifice was destroyed by fire Nov. 17, 1864. The 
present beautiful .structure was fini.shed and 
read\' for use Jul>- 14, 1868. By the will of Col. 
Eliphalet Slack the $2,000 which was be- 
queathed for the use of a Congregational church 
in Pawtucket was used to purchase a dwelling 
for Dr. Blodgett , but this parsonage has been 
sold. This church is the perpetuator in Paw- 
tucket of the s]iirit and life of the old Rehoboth 
church, in a similar way to which the F'irst 
Bapti.st church has continued the spirit and life 
of the first church in Providence. 

The Park Place Congregational church is 
an offshoot from the Pawtucket Congregational 
church, and was formed to accommodate the 
members of the denomination on the west side. 
The church was organized in 1882 and the edi- 
fice erected in 1885. Rev. J. J. Woolley has 
been the pastor from the beginning to the 
present. 

The Central P'alls Congregational society 
was organized Feb. 7, 1845, and the church was 
erected and dedicated June 18, 1845. The first 
pastor was the Rev. Charles Plyde. In 1867 





JAMES L. WHEATON, M. D. 



ST. PAri.'S 1-;PISC()I'AL CHURCH 



Rev. James H. Lyon became the pastor and still 
continues to minister to the parish. The corner 
stone of the present church building-, corner oi 
High and Jenks street, was laid May, 5, iSS;,, 
and the church was dedicated April 30, 1884. 
The original edifice was sold, .still stands on the 
other side of High street, and is now known as 
Temperance Hall. 
The other Congre- 
gational churches 
in the connnunit\' 
are the Swedish 
Congregational 
church. Elm street, 
erected in 1S54 as 
a New Jerusalem 
clinrch : the Lor- 
r a i n e C o n g r e - 
ga t i on a 1 church, 
W'eeden street ; 
and the Memorial 
Co n g rega t ional 
church, .Saylesville. 
Although the 
c o m m unit >■ was 
growing steadih', 
and there were 
many persons of 
diverse religious 
views, the Baptists 
were the only de- 
nomination that 
held religious ser- 
vices in Pawtucket 

regularly until 18 14, As a result of evening 
services conducted in that year, at the solicita- 
tion of John B. Braid and William Holmes, b\- 
Rev. Nathan B. Crocker, rector of St. John s 
Church, Providence, and of regular pircaching 
by Rev. John L. Blake from June, 1S15, the St. 
Paul's Protestant Episcopal church was organ- 





ized as a parisli Dec. 22, 1S15. ,Sanuiel Slater, 
Da\id Wilkinson, IvHjah Ingraham and Rev. 
Mr. Blake were ajipointed a committee to con- 
tract for a church building. The corner .stone 
was laid June 24, 1816, and the edifice was con- 
secrated Oct. 15, 1S1-. b\ Bishop Griswold, at 
which time Rev. John L. IHake was installed as 
rector. Meanwhile 
serx'ices had been 
held in the old re<I 
schoolhouse, in the 
academy, and in 
the brick school- 
house on the east 
side, until the com- 
pletion of the edi- 
fice. Samuel Sla- 
ter and Hezekiah 
Howe were the 
first wardens of the 
church. Abraham, 
Isaac and David 
Wilkinson gave 
the lot on Church 
street on which the 
church was built. 
Rev. Mr. Blake was 
the rector until 
1820, when he was 
succeeded by the 
Re\-. George Taft, 
who served the 
church until his 
death, Dec. i i , 
1869. During the early years of this long pas- 
torate Mr. Taft was the principal of the 
academy, the chief institution of learning in 
the \-illage. Rev. John B. Richmond was 
sultstilute rector for fi\-e months in 1S67, dur- 
ing the rector's illness. Rev. vSanuiel Webb 
was assistant rector in 1860-2, and his suc- 



EDWIN A. PERRIN, 

PAWTUCKET GAS CO. 



ILLUSTRATKD HISTORY o !• I'AW T T C K I-.T 



cessors in that ])iisiti(in wt-re Rev. William 
Kdiliiian. Ruw J. DcW. l'err\-, and Ruw ]•!. II. 
Randall. In iSji Rev. Iv. 11. I'orler became 
reclcir anil hekl the charge until 1S91, when he 
was succeeded by Rew Theodore B. Fester, 
who remained until iSyO. The present rector, 
the Re\-. -Marion Law, was installed June 7. 
iSy6. Samuel Slater was one of the founders 
of this church, and in its vestibule is a massive 
marble tablet with an in.scription to his memory. 
The present .structure is the original edifice, 
but it has been repaired and modernized several 
times. 

Trinitx- Church parish was formed Feb. 27, 
1.S45, by uiembers of St. Paul's Kpiscopal church 
residing on the east side of the river, and Rev. 
Jame.s Cook Richmond was the first rector. He 
did not have much success in developing the 
parish, partly on account of his own erratic 
character and partlx' because of ojiposition from 
those who thought St. Paul's church supj>lied 
all the needs of the denomination. He was suc- 
ceeded by Rev. Mr. Mulcaliey, who in turn was 
followed in 1S51 l)y Rev. George F. Cu.shman, 
under whose administration a church was erected. 
The successive rectors lia\'e since been Rev. 
Julius S. Townsend, 1853-9 I Rev. J. M. Peck, 
1859-60 ; Rev. Edward DeZeng, 1 860-1 ; Rev. 
S. Brown, 1861-7 ; Rev. Storrs O. vSeymour, 
1868-74; Rev. S. R. Fuller, 1S74-7: Rev. Wil- 
liam P. Tucker, 1877-93. The present pictur- 
esque stone church on Main street, near School 
street, was erected in 1SS3. The rector at pres- 
ent is the Rev. J. Leech Porter. 

The church of the Good .Sheiiherd had its 
origin in a mission of Trinit\- church started 
Xo\-. 1, 1S6S. The cornerstone of the house 
oi worshij) on Pnoadway, corner of Wood- 
bine street, was laid March 7, 1872, and the 
first ser\uce was held June 2, 1872. The build- 
ing was enlarged in 1875. In i,S74 the Rew 



Benjamin Ivistwood was installed as rector and 
has served the parish e\'er since. 

Christ Church, Lonsdale, was the first 
l']piscopal church established in the Blackstone 
valley. The parish was organized Jan. 8, 1834, 
and a church erected in 1835. In 1882 the 
building was burned, but on its site the present 
beautiful .stone edifice was erected in 1883-4 at 
the expense of the Lonsdale Co. St. George's 
Episcopal church is in Central Falls, corner Clin- 
ton and Central streets. St. Clara's Swedish 
Episcopal church worships in St. Paul's church. 

The Methodists held meetings in Pawtucket 
as early as 18 13, and from that time on their 
numbers steadily increased. In 1827 regular 
services were held in the red schoolhouse, and 
Rev. O. Robbins was the preacher. A church 
was built on High street in 1830. It gave place 
to a larger one in 1842, which in turn was 
replaced by the present edifice, built in 1894, 
and dedicated March 20, 1895. It is now known 
as the First Methodist Episcopal church. Since 
1865 the following pastors have served the 
church: Rew James D. Butler, 1866-1S67; Rev. 
M.J. Talbot, 1868; Rev. E. D. Hok, 1869-1870; 
Rev. S. L. Gracey, 1871-1873; Rev. J. W. 
Willett, 1873-1875; Rev. E. F.Jones, 1876-1877; 
Rev. H. B. Cady, 1878-1880; Rev. G. A. Mor.se, 
1881-18S3; Rev. G. W. Anderson, 1884-1885; 
Rev. A. W. Kingsley, 1886-1889; Rev. Porter 
M. Vinton, 1890-1894. Rev. C. W. Holden, 
has been pastor since 1895. The Thomson 
Methodist church, corner of Mineral Spring 
.\\enue and Conant street in the western part of 
the city, and the Embury church, Central Falls, 
are both offshoots of the P'ir.st Methodi.st. 

Noted Universalist preachers, among whom 
were the Rev. Hosea Ballou, Rev. David Picker- 
ing, Rev. Thomas Whittemore and others, 
preached occasionally in Pawtucket during the 
earlv vears of the centurv either in the old red 



THE CITY CIirRCIIKS. 



183 



schoolhouse, the old Free Baptist meeting- 
house on the east side, or the Catholic Baptist 
meeting-house. The First Universalist Society 
was organized in 1827 and erected a church on 
Higli street on the site afterwards occupied hy 
tlie High School. The failures of 1S29 obliged 
nian>- of the members to move away, and so 
impoverished others that the building was sold 
to the Bapti.sts and the church disbanded. The 
society was gathered together again in 1S40-1 
by Rev. John N. Parker, and a church was 
erected on Fxcliange street in 1841. :\ir. 
Parker was pastor until 1.S44, 
and was succeeded by Re\-. J. 
S. Barry, who remained lint a 
)'ear. Rev. Calvin Damon was 
the pa.stor from i,S45 to July 
1852 : Rev. Alexander R. Ab- 
bott 1S52-4: Rev. John H. 
Campbell, 1854-6 ; Rev. Mas- 
.sena Goodrich 1857-60. Mr. 
Goodrich resigned to become 
a profe.s.sor in a theological 
school in Canton, N. Y., and 
then Rev. John H. Farnsworth 
was pa.stor for one year. In 
October 1862 Mr. Goodrich re- 
turned as pastor and remained 
in charge of the parish until February 1875. 
He was thus the minister of the church for 
nearly sixteen years. During his second pastor- 
ate the present church of Our Father on High 
street, near Miller .street, was completed and ded- 
icated Jan. 30, 1868, the sermon being preached 
by Rev. A. A. Miner, D. D. Mr. Goodrich is the 
author of the centennial ■•Historical Sketch of 
Pawtucket." The successive pastors since Mr. 
Goodrich have been Rev. J. Keyes, 1878-85 ; 
Rev. J. \V. Tomlin.son, 1885-90; Rev. F. W. 
Hamilton, iS9o-y5 ; Rev. Edward L. Houghton, 
in charge of the parish since October, 1895. 




The Broadway Christian church was organ- 
ized April 12, 1877, and the building was erected 
m 1880; but the church cea.sed to exist in 1889. 
The edifice is now the home of the Broadway 
Evangelical church. Rev. H. H. Perry, pastor. 
The remaining Protestant churches in the 
city now are: the Church of the Advent, Paw- 
tucket avenue, corner Trenton .street; the St. 
Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran church, on 
(h-eene .street, near Central avenue, the mem- 
ber.ship of which is compo.sed of (lermans; 
Swedish Evangelical Lutheran church, Garden 
street; and the People's Mis- 
sion church, Chape] street, near 
Pine, Central Falls. 

The second Roman Catholic 
church in Rhode Island was 
erected in Pawtucket in 1829 
on a lot of land 1 25 feet .square 
presented by David Wilkinson 
for that purpose. It was a very 
small building, was known as 
St. Mar\'s, and for a lunnber 
of years was the house of wor- 
ship not only for the Catholics 
of Pawtucket but aLso for those 
NCH, '..;,. residing many miles around. 

Rev. Robert D. Woodley was 
the first prie.st of the parish, having begun his 
muiistrations in Providence and Pawtucket in 
i>^2j. With the increa.se of manufacturing a 
large number of Catholics communicants were 
added constantly to the population, and new 
parishes were established as branches from the 
parent church. St. Patrick's church, \-alley 
Falls, was completed and dedicated in i860; 
the pari,sh of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ 
was formed on Pleasant View in 1872, and the 
church was completed in 1876: St. Joseph's, on 
the corner of Walcott and North Bend streets, 
which was begun in 1873, was completed Octo- 



iS4 



II, LrsTkA'n; 1) history oi' iwwi'rcK irr 



ber, 187S. The old t-liurch of vSl. Mary was en- 
larged a luunber of times, and in 1S85 the 
present line brick edifice was bnilt near tlie 
old site, on the corner of Pine and Grace 
streets. In addition to tlie churches mentioned, 
there are fourotliers. .St. Jean Bapti.ste, Quincy 
avenue, and our Lady of Consolation, Xortli 
Bend, corner Webster street, wlio.se communi- 
cants are French Canadians ; in Central b'alls 
are Holy Triiiit\-, corner Fuller and Hedley 
avenues, and Our Lady of the .Sacred Heart, 
French, Fales street, near Broad. Nearh' all 
the Catholic churches are large and costl>' brick 
structures, and the church estates with the 
adjoining convents and parochial schools are 
models of neatness and good care. 

The organization and growth of the.se reli- 
gious bodies, as thus briefly sketched, illu.strate 
the change in the elements composing the popu- 
lation which has been l.)rought about b>- the 
industrial de\-elopment and the incoming of 
people from other countries. The growth of 
the churches has been largely owing to acces- 
sions of members from abroad, and not to 
recruits from the existing population. 

In Providence Plantations education as 
well as religion was very largely a matter of 
private concern, while in Reholioth from the 
beginning the schools were maintained out of 
the public funds.* The indifference to the 
claims of pojnilar education during the colonial 
period in Rhode Island as compared with the 
neighboring colonies is said to have lieeii owing 
to the facts that a mixed population was drawn 
together here by the freedom resulting from the 
polity of Roger Williams, and that the colony 
was in an unsettled state for many years on ac- 
count of boundar\- disputes with its neighbors. t 



Not until afttr the revolution, was an\- at- 
tempt made to establish ])ublic schools. In 
l'ro\idence land had been set apart \-er\- earl\- 
in the histor\- of the town for the " use and 
lienefit of a school," but as far as the records 
show the town never did more than ])ro\-ide a 
schoolhouse or a room, and in some instances 
charged rent for these acconunodations while 
the teachers were supported 1)\' the fees from the 
]ni])ils.* 

An act to establish free schools was passed 
b\- the Rhode Island Cieneral Assembly- in 1 Soo 
l)ut was repealed three years afterwards, without 
having been actually in force. Nothing further 
was done until 1.S2S when a general school law 
was passed. In 1843 further legislation was 
enacted and Henry Barnard, a well known 
educator, was a])])ointed .state superintendent of 
schools to cany out the pro\-isions of the new 
laws. He remodeled the entire school system, 
and jnit it on a much l)etter basis than formerly. 
Since that time the laws have been frequently 
amended. A compulsory education law was 
passed in 1856, a truant and comjiulsory educa- 
tion act in 1883, and in 1893 a factory- inspection 
act, all having for their object the extension of 
the benefits of education to every child in the 
community. These laws failed in a measure to 
accom])lish this result, and Rhode Island has 
alwaxs had a larger percentage of illiteracy 
than her neighbors,! at least until within the 
past few years. 

IIem-\- Barnard, the first school commis- 
sioner, was of the o])inion that a manufacturing:; 
connuunit\' from its "necessary concentration 
in villages nuist be favorabl\- situated for a ptib- 
lic school system." This would .seem to be a 
just conclusion. The reason why the village 
]M>pulations in Rhode Island haxx* not lieen 



*Cha])ter i, p. ")0. 

tl'ublic Education in R. I., l(i:J7-l.S7(i, pp. 1-4. 



*.\iinals of Providence, p. 4i)S. 
tMcssage of tiov. Bourn, 1884. 



THE FIRvST SUNDAY SCHOOLS AND DAY SCHOOLS. 



'85 



adequately reached by the public schools is onl)- because the 
methods pursued have uot been in agreement with the circum- 
stances of the case. The extreme a\-erage poverty, necessitat- 
ing- the labor of children for the support of the family : the 
indifference on the jiart of many jiarents, doubtless in the ma- 
jority of cases the result of their poverty ; and la.st but not 
least, the self-interest of the manufacturers, leading them to 
employ children Iiecause of the cheapness of their labor, with 
an indifference as to other results — all these causes ha\e 
produced the existing illiteracy in the factory centres. 

Tlie first schools in Pawtucket seem to have been the 
Sunda\- schools, which .Samuel Slater is credited with having 
originated. They were at first secular scIkkiIs and their object 
was the instruction of the chil- 
dren em])loyed in the earl\- 
mills in the rudiments of edu- 
cation. There is no data 
which precisely fixes the time 
when these schools were regu- 
larly established, but it has 
been assumed that they were 
begun as early as 1791. It is 
said that Mr. vSlater " opened 
a school in his own house, 
sometimes teaching the schol- 
ars himself, but general! y 
hired a pe son to perform that 






(hit)-." The firm of Almy, 
lirown & Slater certainly paid 
the expense of maintaining 
such a school in 1 796 and 
following years, and some of 
the first teachers were Brown 
University students. The 
other mill owners seem to 
have adopted a similar plan. 
Finally, about 1815, the Sun- 
day schools became connected 
with the churches and were 
JACOB STEPHANS, couvertcd into religious insti- 

tutions. 
The first regular day school in the village was held in the 
red schoolhouse, which stood where the city hall now is on 
High .street. The Ijuilding was erected about 1793 by the joint 
contributions of people on both sides of the river and accom- 
modated the children from both sections on week days and 
Sundays also. As the connniinily increased, other ]irivate 
schools were kept in dwelling hnuses. The best known one 
was conducted in a liouse on Main street, ojiposite the loot ol 
Park place. The teachers were Mary D. and Eniih D. Jones, 
and the dwelling belonged to their family, from which fact it 
was long known as the Jones schoolhouse. The Jones sisters 
began teacliing in their hon\e about iS;,2, and from that time 



PETER F. GORMAN, 

COUNCILMAN, CENTRAL FALLS. 



1 86 



I LI, r STRATI'", 1) IIISTORV () !■ I'.WV T l' C K. I'T. 



(or luaiiy \t.-ars had a vtry jirosjic-roiis scluiol, 
sonietinies liavin^t^ as nian\- as from fillx' to 
.seventy-fi\'e jnipils. Tht- old liousc was used 
as a school until within a ft.-\v \cars of its 
demolition in 1S79. 

An academy existed in 1824 on the west 
side, on Pleasant stn-et near where l)i\isioii 
street now is. At that time I'.liphas Vay was 
the teacher and some time later Rev, George 
Taft, rector of St. Paul's Episcopal church, 
became the dominie. On the ea.st side there 
was also an academy, built in 1S28, which 
stood on a ledge of rocks, on the site now 
occujiietl l)y Stephen F, h'isk's residence, No, 
14 Main street. Piefore 1828 a brick school- 
house existed on the site now occupied b>" the 
old town hall, School street. 

The village people on both sides of the 
river were thus engaged in an endeavor to 
secure education for their children along inde- 
])en(lent lines. The brick schoolhouse was 
probably a Seekonk town school. The first 
town meeting of Pawtucket, Mass., was held in 
this building, and at that time S35" was apjiro- 
priated for the schools. The next few \-ears 
thereafter the appropriations were less than this 
sum, but they were then gradually increased, 
l'"or the first time in its history-, acting under 
the school law of 1828, North Providence on 
April 16, 182S, voted to raise a sum, " not to 
exceed $600," for the supj)ort of public schools. 
In that year, besides the academy, there were 
tour schools in Pawtucket on the Rhode Island 
side. The share that North Providence under 
the new law was entitled to from the .state 
school fund was $382.96,* so that the total 
amount available was nearly a thousand dollars, 
and Pawtucket hail about half the schools in 
the town. From that time there has been a 

'History of l'ul)lic Ivlucalioii in R. I., pp. 4S, .50. 



continuetl and steadx' achance, whicli can per- 
haps be better exhibited b>- a few statistics 
than in an\' other wa\' : The expenditure for 
schools in North Pro\idence in 1839 was 
$1,215.38; in Pawtucket it was in 1875 
$45,949.95, while the old town, much dimin- 
ished in area, .spent the same year $2,365.15. 
The school attendance in North Providence in 
1839 was 463 ; in Pawtucket it was in 1875 
3,090, and in the old town 201, The school 
attendance had thus increasefl seven times, but 
the exjienditure was nearly fort}' times greater. 

Pawtucket is now provided with twenty-two 
school buildings many of them fine brick struc- 
tures, A splendid new brick high school, on 
Broadway has been com]ileted this \ear. The 
number of children who attended the public 
schools in 1895 was 3873, and during the same 
period 1657 were receiving tuition in the par- 
ochial schools connected with the Catholic 
churches, while there were 45 in private schools 
and 699 reported as not attending any school. 
The expenditure for the maintainance of the 
schools during the \ear were $116,087.84. 
According to the report of the factory inspectors 
for the year 1895 the number of children under 
sixteen years of age emplo3ed in factories had de- 
creased 755 as compared with the previous year. 

One of the mo.st potent educational institu- 
tions in the community is the Pawtucket F'ree 
Pulilic Library. In 1852, as a result of interest 
aroused in reading and education by a debating- 
society, a charter for a library was obtained from 
the Rhode Island General Assembly, and the 
Pawtucket Library Association was formed. 
Abotit a thousand dollars was raised b>- the sale 
of shares, and 1200 books were secured b>- ])ur- 
chase and gift. V\) until 1860 the library- in- 
creased !)>■ these means until the number of 
volumes was 3000. Interest, however began to 
wane after that period, ami the corporation found 



THE FRKE PUBLIC LIP, RARY. 



187 



difficulty ill niaintaining; the library. The 
shareholders finally offered to give the library, 
then consisting of 4700 volumes, to the town on 
condition that it be made free, and Gideon L. 
Spencer offered the use of a room rent free for 
five years. These offers were accepted, and in 
1876 the Pawtucket Free Public Library was 
opened in the Spencer block. January, 188S, it 
was removed to its present quarters in the 
Sheldon building. The room occupied is 60 bj- 
90 feet with large windows on both sides. A 
unique feature in the manner of conducting the 
library is that the books are accessible to all. 
vSo progressive has been the administration of 
this library in the inauguration of the open .shelf 
system, the close relation of its work with that 
of the public schools, and its far-reaching influ- 
ence with the children who frequent the reading 
room, that it ranks as one of the most important 
public libraries of the country. The library now 
contains 15,000 volumes. 

Mrs. Minerva A. Sanders was chosen liljrarian 
when the librarj- became a public institution, 
and is still its active head. Her a.ssiistants are 
Fannie Collins, Annie J. Mooney and Edith H. 
Mason. The officers of the librarj^ at present 



are : Board of trustees — An.sel D. Nickerson, 
president, term expires 1897 ; William R. Sayles, 
vice-president, term expires 1896; Edmund A. 
Darling, secretary, term expires 1896 ; Ervdng 
Y. Woolley, term expires 1897 ; Fred Sherman, 
term expires 1898 ; Alonzo E. Pierce, term ex- 
pires 1898 ; Ex-officio — Henrj^E. Tiepke, niaj-or; 
Charles H. Jenks, president of common council; 
Henry H. Davison, chairman city library com- 
mittee; Henrj- Barker, chairman school commit- 
tee; Gilman P. Fisher, superintendent of public 
schools. 

The Hon. \V. F. Sayles, who died May 7, 1894, 
bequeathed the sum of $100,000 to the city of 
Pawtucket to purchase a lot of land and erect a 
librar}- building for the Free Public Library. 
This legacy is to be payable three 5'ears after the 
testator's death and according to the terms of 
the will ' ' the gift .shall not go into effect except 
my said son shall approve of the same in writ- 
ing." Mr. Sayles's son, PVank A., who is 
chief heir, has signified his intention orally to the 
trustees of the library to erect a fine building, 
sometime in the near future. Consequently, 
Pawtucket will probably have a library- building 
of which her citizens will be proud. 




JENKS PARK CENTRAL FALLS. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



THE NEWSPAPERS — THK BANKS. 



THE journalisni of a connmuiit\- is a s^ood 
index of its status and growth. The 
newspapers that have been published, 
whether the\' failed or succeeded, show the 
direction of prevailing local tendencies, while 
those that live owe their existence to the fact 
that they satisfy a need of S(jnie sort, and thus 
must register in a measure the character of 
their en\-ironment. 

In the early part of the century- a number 
of newspapers were started in Pawtucket, chiefly 
in the Rhode Island village, but only one of 
them lived for anj- length of time. The names 
of some of these pioneer journals furnish a clue 
to their style and purpose, and exliibit the influ- 
ence of the new ideas, reforms, and mov-ements, 
that from time to time made an impress upon 
the conununit>'. Among these names were : 
Truth's Ad\-ocate, John the Baptist, Midniglit 
Cry, Rose and Lil>-, Sparkling Fountain, Uattle 
Axe, Temperance Regulator, Mercantile Repor- 
ter, Observer, Business Directory, Herald, and 
the New England Artizan and Laboring Man's 
Repository.* Since that period many papers 
have appeared, endured for a brief space, and 
then passed away, leaving hardl\- a trace behind. 

The paper which lived was the Pawtucket 
Chronicle and Manufacturers and Artizan's Ad- 

•Historical Sketch of Pawtucket, p. 119. 



vocate, whose first issue a])])carL-d Nov. 12, 1.S25. 
It had four pages of fi\'c columns each, and was 
issued weekly. John C. Harwood was the pub- 
lisher and William H. .Sturtevant, a lawxer, was 
the editor. The enterprise like others of a 
like kind evidently did not prosper at once, for 
in a few weeks the paper passed into the hands 
of Carlile & Brown of Providence. Randall 
Meacham became the proprietor Veb. 12, 1.S27, 
and removed the office from an old wooden 
building on the site of the present Read block, 
Main .street, to the opposite side of the .street, 
near the Pawtucket Hotel. Under Mr. Meach- 
am's control the ]iaper prospered. He changed 
the title to the " Pawtucket Chronicle and Rhode 
Ishuul and Massachu.setts Register." Jul\ , 1S29, 
vSamuel M. Fowler became editor. He seems to 
have been a man of ability and infused new life 
into the paper. February, 1S31, he purchased 
.Mr. Meacham's interest and became .sole pro- 
prietor, but his health failed and after a long 
illness he died in icS32. During Mr. Prowler's 
illness John H. Weeden, an able lawyer, was 
editor. 

The jiaper was jnirchased from Mr. I'owlcr's 
widow in October, rS32, b\- Henry and John li. 
Rousmaniere of Newport. R.I. The latter with- 
drew in November, 1836, and the ])aper was con- 
ducted by Henry Rousmaniere until April, 1839, 
when it was sold to the proprietors of the Paw- 



(O, 



,^€053% 



~£Mo>^-^- 




CHARLES A. LEE, LtMbt^ -.. Uhn- 

PROPHIETOSS AND PUBLISHERS P»WTOCKET GAZETTE »ND CHRONICLE. 



THK PIONEER NEWSPAPER MEN. 




JOHN E. ROUSMANIERE. 



tucket Gazette and consolidated with 
that paper under the name of the 
Pawtucket Gazette and Chronicle. 
The (iazette wa.s a paper which had 
been in existence about eight month.s, 
having been started Aug. 3, 1838, by 
Robert Sherman and Shubael Kinni- 
cutt, who had been apprentice printers 
in the office of the Chronicle. 

For some j-ears before this the 
Chronicle had not been very successful, but the con.solidated 
paper under the management of the young printers prospered 
.steadily. Mr. Sherman was the business manager and Mr. 
Kinnicutt the editor, and they continued to be sole owners 
until Jan. i, 1864, when Ansel I). Nickerson was admitted 
to the firm. 

The two original partners retired Jan. i, 1S70, and Mr. 
Nickerson and John S. Sibley became the publishers under 
the name of Nickerson & Sibley. April i, 1S75. Charles A. 
Lee purchased an interest, and the name was changed to Nick- 
erson, Sibley & Co. In 




RANDALL MEACHAM, 




JOHN C. HARWOOD, 
FOUNDER OF THE CHRONICLE, 11 



1879 Mr. Nickerson retired, the firm then took the name of 
Sibley & Lee, but on the death of Mr. Sibley, Sept. 13, 1881, 
Mr. Lee became sole proprietor. Lester W. Upham became a 
jiartner Jan. i, 1894, and the style of the firm has since then 
been Lee & Upham. 

During these years the paper was enlarged repeatedly, 
until in i860 it had eight columns, but during the war of the 
rebellion it was reduced to seven, and in 1866 was again en- 
larged to eight columns. In 1870 it was enlarged to nine 
columns, p-rom this "blanket fonn " it was changed to the 
prevailing modern shape, an eight-page, six-column paper, on 
Jan. I, 1891. 

John C. Harwood, the founder of the Pawtucket Chronicle, 
was born in Providence, R. I., March 23, 1800. After leaving 
Pawtucket he went to New York, where he died December i, 
184S. His grave is in .Swan Point cemetery. Providence. 

Randall Meacham, the second editor and publisher of the 
Chronicle, was born in Geneva, Ontario county, N. Y., August 
17, 1802. He learned the [jrinters' trade and came to Paw- 
tucket in 1827. He afterwards went to Lowell and from thence 



I go 



ILLUvSTR ATI'I) HISTORY OF 1> AW T U C K I'/f. 



to California, where he died al Oakhuid. A]>ril 
lo, 1S71J. 

Samuel Metcalf Fowler, the third jjublisher 
of the Chronicle, was born in Rehbboth Village, 
Mass., in 1805. He learned the printers' track- 
in Providence. He was associated with Mr. 
Meachani in the publication from 1829 to Feb- 
ruary II, 1 831, when lie become sole proprietor. 
He died of consumption, August 26, 1832, and 
was buried in Warren, R. T. 

Henr\- Rousmaniere, the last jjublishirr cif 
Chronicle, was l.)orn in New- 
])ort, R. I., in 1S09, and died 
in Pro\-idence May 19, 186S. 
John Easton Rousmaniere, his 
brother, was born in Newport 
August 3, 1 8 13, and died in 
Boston, Ma.ss., September 29, 
1876. He went from Pawtucket 
to Boston where he remained 
as foreman of the Advertiser 
oilice to the time of his death. 
Robert .Sherman, the found- 
er of the Pawtucket Ciazette, 
was born in Newport, R. L, 
August 31, 1816. He was ap- 
prenticed to Randall Meachani 
in 1828. He worketl in the 
Chronicle office until i''^34. 
when he went to Providence, 
and subsequently to Boston, where he worked 
on the Post. Returning to Pawtucket he hired 
a lot of tyjie and an old jiress from George 
Wilkinson, a prominent manufacturer. August 
3, 1838, in company with Shubael Kiimicutt he 
issued the first number of the Pawtucket Gaz- 
ette. In 1839 Sherman & Kinnicutt purcha.sed 
the Chronicle from the brothers Rousmaniere, 
and on A])ril 26 of that >ear the two papers 
appeared as one with the present title of 
"Gazette and Chronicle." Mr. Sherman's con- 




SHUBAEL KINNICUTT, 

THE GAZETTE AND CHRONIC 



iiectiou as publisher and jiart pro])rietor contin- 
ued until Jannarv i, iSjo. when he and Mr. 
Kinnicutt disposed of their interests to Nicker.son 
& Sibley. Mr. Sherman after retiring from the 
paper, des'oted his time to real estate and kindred 
business, and so continued up to the time of his 
death, which occurred on June 23, 1895. He 
was a man of fine ])hysical mould, witty and 
active, noted as the teller of a good storx', 
anil his presence was an every-day feature of 
Pawtucket's life. 

vShubael Kinnicutt, who was 
Mr. .Sherman's as.sociate from 
1X38 until 1870, was born in 
Warren, R. I., Dec. 15, 181 1, 
and died in Pawtucket, Dec. 
16, 1,876. F'rom the beginning 
in 183S until the sale in 1870 
he was editor. He was a can- 
did and forcible writer always 
careful and considerate, and 
all of the productions of his 
pen were remarkable for their 
conciseness and absence of any- 
thing which seemed to savor of 
sensationalism. He was an in- 
dustrious and conscientious 
toiler, at all times po.ssessing 
a just apjireciation of the res- 
])onsibilities of the profession 
to which he was .so much devoted. He was a 
man of .strict uprightness of character, and no 
inducement was strong enough to cause him to 
swerve from the most rigid confonnity to rec- 
titude and justice in his dealings with his fellow 
men. He was extremely deaf for many years, 
but the accuracy of his local work was re- 
markable. 

John .Stanle\- .Sible\-, who was associated 
with Ansel I). Nickerson in the pid)lication of 
the Gazette and Chronicle from Jauuarx" 1, 1870, 



THE FIRvST nAILV PAI'KRS. 



igi 



to April I, 1S7S, and from the latter date to the 
time of his death with Mr. Lee, was born in 
vSutton, Mass., Sept. 8, 1S.23. He learned the 
printers' trade in the office of the Woonsocket 
Patriot and afterwards was one of the employes 
and stockholders in the liook and job printing 
office of Knowles .S: AntlKmy in Providence. 
He was a thorough -going printer of the old 
reliable school and he was a Christian gentleman 
seven days in the week. His life was a bene- 
ficent example of industry, integrity and 
righteousness. He died in Pawtucket, Sept, 13, 
1883, and was buried in Riverside cemetery. 

In connection with the Gazette and Chron- 
icle a large printing office has always been con- 
ducted, and the partners have been practical 
printers as well as journalists. The paper has 
always maintained a high character, has been 





ROBERT SHERMAN, 
FOUNDER OF THE PAWTUCKET GAZETTE. 



JOHN S. SIBLEY, 

ably conducted, and its columns contain the 
best record extant of the life of Pawtucket. 
Although a weekly paper it still exerts much 
force in the comnmnity, and has a large con- 
stituency. 

Pawtucket had no daih- pajjcr until it 
became a city. April 10, 18S5, Mr. Lee, then 
sole editor and proprietor of the Gazette and 
Chronicle, issued the first number of the Iv\-en- 
ing Chronicle, the first daily paper ever printed 
in Pawtucket. It had a special wire in its own 
office and received direct news by telegraph from 
all parts of the world. It was bright and newsy, 
but there was more glory than money in it, and 
its publication was discontinued earlv in the 
succeeding month. 

George O. Willard, a well-known news- 
])aper man, who had for many years been city 
editor of the Providence livening Press, begun 
in Pawtucket, on April 30, 18,85, the publication 



192 



I LLU.STRATlvD HISTORY OK P AWT U C K I",T. 



of the Kveniiig Times, n small four-page, fi\'e- 
column pai)er. Tlie enUT])rise jji'ospered, and 
the paper was enlarged several times until it 
had eight columns but only four pages. Marcli 
26, 1890, it was purchased by Daviil O. P.lack, 
of Providence, a newspa]ier manager ol great 
ability, who had built up and conducted the 
Providence Telegram with uiuisual success 
for many years. Mr. Black organized the busi- 
ness as the "Times Publishing Co.," and at 
once introduced new methods. The paper was 
ininiediatel\- enlarged to eight pages of six col- 
umns each, and then, as business increased 
additional columns were adiled, until now each 
page has eight columns, and daily issues usually 
have ten, and sometimes twelve pages. The 
circulation increased from 3,500 in 1S85 to be- 
tween 14,000 and 15,000 daily in 1896. 

When Mr. Willard conducted the Times, 
small quarters were occupied in the wooden 
building southeast corner of Jenks lane and 
Main street, but when Mr. Black assumed con- 
trol larger accommodations were secured in the 
Reail block. Main street. A Hoe perfecting 
press and .stereotyping apparatus were put in 
operation, and afterwards Thorn typesetting 
machines were introduced. 

The business of the paper increased so 
greatly that Mr. Black decided to erect a build- 
ing for its special use. Hi 1895 the construction 
of the Times building was begun, and the first 
paper was issued from the new structure Marcli 
I, 1896. The building is on Exchange street, 
directly opjiosite the railnjad station, and is an 
imposing structure five stories in front and six 
in the rear, built of light colored brick with 
stone trimmings. It covers about 5,000 square 
feet of ground, and is nearly 100 feet in height. 
Hi the basement are two large Hoe perfecting 
presses, the engine, boilers, the sterotyping de- 
partment and the delivery and store rooms. 



Half of the first floor at the street level is occu- 
])ieil by the business office and the manager's 
])ri\-ate office. The front i)art of the second 
lloor is occu])ied b\- the editors and reporters, 
and the back jiart by the t\'])esetting machines 
and the com])osing de])artment. 

.Mr. P.lack is the sole ])ro])rietor of the new 
building, is the chief owner in the Times Pub- 
lishing Co., and is the general manager of the 
paper. Peter J. Trumpler is the business and 
advertising manager, and Charles O. Black, a 
son of the jiroprietor, is treasurer. To these 
two, Mr. Black has presented a one-fifth interest 
in the corporation, giving the larger portion to 
Mr. Trumpler. Mr. Black has two other sons 
at work on the paper — William H. in the press 
department, and David Orlando Black, Jr., in 
the composing room. 

The Times has been conducted under Mr. 
P>lack's management with the idea of making it 
a paper fit to take into aii\' home. It is inde- 
pendent in jiolitics, caters to prevailing tenden- 
cies in business or politics, and is run with the 
end in view of looking out for the interests of 
the tax-payers. Full telegraphic reports are 
obtained through the Associated Press, a special 
wire runs into the office and a skilled operator 
is constantly employed. Hi the local field the 
paper covers not only Pawtucket and Central 
Falls, but the Blackstone valley and neighbor- 
ing towns in Massachusetts, and is an all-round 
newspaper. It sells for a cent. 

Sejit. 15, 1S88, Martin Murrax' began the 
jniblication of a dail\- ])enn\- newsjiaper under 
the name of the Pawtucket Tribune, and has 
continued to conduct it from that time up to 
the present. The first i.ssue had four pages of 
seven columns each. Nov. 8, 1S90, another 
column was added to each page, and on Marcli 
15, 1895, the paper was enlarged to eight pages 
of six columns each. The office was first in 



THE PAWTUCKET EVENING TIMES. 



193 







■ leiiata 




-i%»*^ 



me TIMES BUILDING, txi:HAt:Gt STREET. 



194 



ILLUSTRATI'I) HISTORY OF PAWTU C K IvT. 



Read's l)l()ck, Main street, hul in iSSg i 
the i)reseiit ([tiarters in the Record i 
Iniikling, 3,^11 Main street, were se- 
cured. Mr. Mnrra\-, the editor and 
proprietor, was born near Albanw N. 
v., July 19, 1861. Al)0tit twenty ! 
years of his life were sjient in Con- 
necticut , where he was eni]iloyed in 
a cotton mill until nearl\- twent\'-five 
years of age, obtaining his education 
at times in the public schools, in night 
schools and at the I'lainfiekl, Coini., j 
AcadeniN'. The Tribune has enjo>'ed | 
a good degree of success, and has a 
firm hold upon the people. It was j 
foremost in agitating the obser\-ance ! 
of the Slater Cotton Centenar\- in 
iSijo, and had its editorial, reportorial 

and mechanical force transferred to I 

! 

the Machinery Hall during the entire ! 
week's celebration, the Tribune's new j 
press being the first piece of machin- 
ery to lie started. Thomas L. Horan i 
is now the city editor. 

Although the latest comer in the 
local fieul of journalism, the Paw- 
tucket Post bids fair to prove a for- 
midable rival to its contemporaries. 
It made its first a]>pearance on Dec. 
II, 1893, as a ])artisaii organ, and 
its promoters were a nundier of citi- 
zens prominent in a certain faction of the 
Democratic jiartw The ]5aper ser\-ed its ]iur- 
pose in this line for a time, the pu1)lication 
office being in the Spencer block, and the busi- 
ness office l)eing temporarily located in the 
"New Mill building" on Main street, at the 
west end of the Ijridge. Among the original 
owners were a number of prominent Imsiness 
men, including ex-alderman Ivdward Smith, 
ex-conncilman ]'>ernard T. Lennon, and attor- 




MARTIN MURRAY, 

DITOR AND PROPRIETOR OF THE PAWTI 



ne>-s J. Osfield, Jr,, and Thomas W. Robinson. 
After a year or so, political considerations 
gave way to a certain extent to financial neces- 
sities, and on Ma>- 2S, iSqs, the Post announced 
a change of jioliey and that in the future it 
would be an independent paper. At that time 
it was enlarged to eight pages. The growth of 
business soon compelled a change in cpiarters 
and on Jul\' 25, 1895, the plant was transferred 
from the vSpencer block to the basement of the 



THK PAWTrCKI'T POST. 



195 



Dexter building, under the Post office. Oct. 
23. i^95. the first United Press dispatches ever 
received in the city were publislied by the Post, 
and tiiis telegraph service has since been con- 
tinued. 

Karly in the year 1S96 a number of promi- 
nent l)usiness men commenced negotiations 
looking towards the purchase of the Po.st and 
buiding up from the material at hand a modern 
newspaper, with the principles of the Rei)nblican 
party as its jiolicy. The negotiations were suc- 
cessful and on .Ntarch 2, 1X96, the Po.st announced 
its change of management and policv and the 
organization of the new compain- as a chartered 
corporation, with Henry E. Tiepke, mayor of 
Pawtncket, as jiresident, and George T. Green- 
halgh as secretary and treasurer. Pre- 
parations were at once made for a com- 
plete revolution of the paper, and on 
May I, of the .same year the Po.st was 
issued from its new quarters in the 
Read block. Main street square, pre- 
viously occupied by the Pawtucket 
Times. The old double-feed bed press 
was supplanted by one of Hoe's latest 
perfecting pre.s.ses, with a capacity of 
ID, 000 eight-column eight-page papers 
per hour. C>lindrical .stereotype plates 
took the place of the old cumbersome 
type forms and the hand compositors 
were displaced by three Mergenthaler 
linotype machines, the mo.st rapid and 
practical appliance of the age for me- 
chanical compcsition. William H. Zel- 
ler, of the Philadelphia Times, assumed 
editorial charge of the paper, and Ed- 
ward P. Tobie, Jr., formerly of the 
Pawtucket Times, became the citv edi- 
tor. An efficient corps of assistants and 
reporters make up the staff, and under 
its new management the Post has widely 



increased its inllnence, and has already at- 
tracted attention in the journali.stic field by 
the excellence of its make-up. its contents and 
general appearance. 

Few people now living can remember the 
time when news from Pawtucket was not to be 
found in the columns of the Providence Journal 
and its afternoon edition the Evening Bulletin. 
Regularly for more than a quarter of a centurv 
these papers had a correspondent in Paw- 
tucket, who furnished news of more or less 
important events, according to times and cir- 
cumstances. As far back as in the '60s Thomas 
P. Barnefield was the correspondent. Frank 
Jeiiks, a great-great-grandson of Capt. Stephen 
Jenks, was the news gatherer three or four 




LINOTYPE TYPE-SETTING MACHINE IN USE BY THE PAWTUCKET POST. 



196 



ILU'STR ATI'I) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT. 



years prior to 1S76, aiul was an t-xccllenl and 
faithful reporter. lie k-lt rawlnckcl tn ln-coiiK- 
a railroad ])ostal clerk. .Viiiont; others who 
served the Journal were Ilenrx- ]■',. 'rie))ke, the 
pre.sent iiia\'or of Pawtueket, and Oscar A. 
Hewitt, who was noted for his wit. I'ldniund 
Janes Carpenter, a younger hrother of the late 
Judjre George M. 

Carpenter, of 

Providence, was 
in 1880 and 1S81 
the correspondent. 
He was a good 
writer, was after- 
wards editor of 
the Central Falls 
Weekly \'isitor 
for a time, and 
has since held ed- 
itorial positions 
on the Boston 
newspapers. 

In October, 
1881, however, an 
effort was made 
to more fully cov- 
er Pawtueket and 
the B 1 a c k s t o n e 
Valley than had 
ever been done 
p r e \- i o u s 1 \- . A 
room was engaged 
in Music Hall 

building, then m^vor of pawtucket. 1 894-6 

jtist completed, a 

local branch office opened, and Fdward P. 
Tobie who had had an experience of a dozen 
years at the head of the local force of the 
Journal in Providence, was placed in charge. 
At that time there were no local daily papers 
in Pawtueket. The news was sjiven in fuller 




detail than formerh-, in fact much better than 
in the majoritN- of small tlailx- newspapers, 
and as a result the circulation of the Jour- 
nal and Bulletin increased greatly in Paw- 
tueket and \-icinity anil a large ad\-ertising 
patronage was secured. In a few years more 
room was required and the Journal local branch 
office was re- 

moved to the first 

floor of the Read 
block on Main 
street. One or 
two other removes 
were made, but 
for the pa.st fi\-e 
years the office 
has been at the 
corner of M a i n 
and High streets, 
in the historic 
Iniilding formerl>- 
occupied by .Sam- 
uel Slater as a res- 
idence, where all 
business connect- 
ed with the Jour- 
nal and Bulletin 
is transacted on 
the same basis as 
at the home office 
i n Providence. 
Mr. Tobie has 
always been and 
still is the agent 
in charge of this 
office and now has four assistants : Hugh J. Lee, 
general news gatherer, including sporting news; 
Fdward Iv Frost, who looks after all matters in 
Central P'alls, Lincoln and Cumberland: John 
Graham, Lonsdale correspondent: James CL 
Buckley, correspondent at Ashtou and Berkle\-. 



HENRY e. TIEPKE, 



Till-: CORREvSPONDHNTS OF OUTSIDH NEWSPAPERS. 



197 



The Journal has alwa^'s been careful to 
advance the best welfare of Pawtucket, as a 
town and city. An instance ma\- be mentioned. 
In 1882 or 1883 the people of Pawtucket agitated 
the establishment of a free letter deliver}' s^'stem. 
At that time a population of 25,000 was neces- 
sary to secure this boon. The census of 1S80 
however showed that Pawtucket had only 20,000 
inhabitants. In 1881 four large factories were 
built and it was argued that the mills would 
bring into the town sufficient additional popula- 
tion to make the required number. But this 
argument had no effect. At this juncture the 
Journal authorized Dr. Edwin M. vSnow to 
make a careful census of Pawtucket, the news- 
paper pa>ing the expense. The result was, 
that although the population according to the 
Journal census was not up to 25,000, yet it was 
sufficient, with the prospect of growth, to secure 
the free letter carrier sy.stem. 

After the Journal began to make an imj)ort- 
ant feature of news from Pawtucket, the Star 
and Press of Providence also entered the field. 
For many >'ears Seabury vS. Tompkins, a well- 
known citizen of Pawtucket, was the local cor- 
respondent of those papers. Mr. Tompkins died 
April ID, 1894, aged 62 years. He was a native 
of Pawtucket, learned the trade of a jirinter in 
the office of the (razette and Chronicle, and 
worked at his trade in Providence and elsewhere 
before he became correspondent. After the sus- 
pension of the Star and Press about 1885, he 
was a local reporter on the Pawtucket Times 
until about a year before his death. 

In Pawtucket's newspaper hi.stor}- the li.st 
would not be complete without including the 
Providence Evening and Sunday Telegram. A 
branch office of the Telegram was establi.shed 
here al)Out eleven years ago, although the paper 
has had a Pawtucket department for a period of 
about fifteen years. Its early correspondents. 



however, had no headquarters in particular, and 
it was not an easy matter for parties having busi- 
ness with the paper to locate its representatives. 
For a period of ])erhaps two years headcjuarters 
were established with the late Michael Coleman, 
a newsdealer on Main .street .square, with whom 
arrangements were made for receiving and filling 
orders: but this plan was found inadequate, and 
after the news business had been .sold by Mr. 
Coleman to other parties, a rear room in the 
store became the Telegram branch office. This 
store was finally purchased by Michael Moy. 
Here the office remained until six years ago, 
when Mr. Moy removed his business to the 
Benedict House building, 301 Main street. 
The Telegram went with him and has remained 
at that location ever since. The Pawtucket 
office of the paper has given satisfactory results, 
having facilitated the matter of advertising, 
made the reportorial duties lighter in main- 
ways, and given the paper an increased .standing 
in the connnunity. 

The Telegram's local representative is F'rank 
E. Greenslitt, a native of Connecticut, whose 
newspaper life began in that state as a local cor- 
respondent while in his teens. He afterwards 
spent several years sticking type, but this part 
of newspaper work was not altogether to his 
liking, however much it may have proved of 
benefit to him in his reportorial duties. He was 
corresponding for the Telegram from a Massa- 
chu.setts town in 188.^ when the management of 
the paper gave him a call to its Rhode Island 
staff, and for thirteen years he has been 
with the iiajier as its Pawtucket represen- 
tative. With the exception of ICdward P. 
Tobie of the Journal he is the longest in daily 
newspaper service of any of the city scribes, 
and of those on the Telegram when he 
besjan his duties he is the onlv one remain- 



I 1,1,1" ST k ATI'. 1) HISTORY ( ) !■ I'AWT l" C K inV 



The (lc\L'l()])iiieiU <il C<.-iitral I'alls was ma- 
terially assisted !>>• IIk' publication of a \vfL-kl\ 
ne\vspa]ier, Ihe Central l''alls Weekly \'isitor, 
which was started 1)\- ICdward L. Freeman in 
1869, and published continuousl\- b\- his ])rinting- 
house from that time until 1891, wlien it was 
sold to David J. White and consolidated with 
the Pawtucket Record. 

In 1SS6 H. H. vSlieldon started a weekl\- 
ne\vs])a]ier under the name of the Pawtucket 
Record. Althoui^h he had had no jirevious ex- 
perience in this line he made a striking; success of 
the enteqirise fioth in a journal- 
istic and financial sense. He 
conducted the jiaper until Nov- 
ember. 1S90, when David J. 
White purchased it. Early in 
1 89 1 Mr. White bought the 
Central Falls Weekly Visitor 
from li. L. Freeman iS: vSon, 
and then consolidated the two 
publications under the name of 
the Record and \'isitor; but he 
sold the paper in 1892 to Martin 
Murray of the Pawtucket Tri- 
bune, who transferred the ad- 
vertising and circulation to his 
own paper, and discontinued 
the Record and Visitor. 

For many years large numbers of Canadians 
of French descent ha\"e settled in the manufac- 
turing districts of New England. They ha\e 
])r()\ed themselves good citizens, industrious, 
frugal and enterprising, and in some localities 
the\- and their descendants now form the bulk 
of the po])ulalion. This is ])articularl\- true of 
some of the cotton manufacturing districts. 
Central Falls and other place in the Black.stone 
vallev now have many French Canadian inhab- 
itants. While to a large extent the>- ha\e be- 
come Americanized thev have naturallv Ii\ed 




JOSEPH MISAEL AUTHIER, 
■OR AND PROPRIETOR OF L'ESPERANCE. 



together, so that in the ])laces where they are 
numerous there are well iklined l'"reuch Canadian 
settlements. 'I'liev ha\e their own churches, 
and within a few \ears newsinqiers in their own 
language have been .started. L'Esperance, a 
semi-weekly newspaper, ])rinted in the F'rench 
language, was established in Central Falls, 
March 26, i.Sgi, 1)y Joseph M. Anthier, who 
had received a legal education in Canada, and 
had had consiilerable journalistic experience 
there and in the United .States before coming 
here. The paper has four pages with seven 
columns each, and is i.ssued 
e\er\- Tuesdax' and Frida>'. 
The circvdation is 2,400 each 
issue, and is constantly increas- 
ing. In politics the publication 
supports the Republican party. 

The first bank in Pawtucket 
was the Manufacturers Bank, 
which was incorporated in 1813, 
and its first board of directors 
were : Oziel Wilkinson, Thomas 
Arnold. Joseph Harris, Samuel 
Arnold, F^benezer Tiffanx-, 
Samuel Slater, Jacob Dunnell, 
Timothy Greene, Samuel W. 
Bridgham, Abraham Wilkin- 
son, Thomas Burge.ss, Richard Waterman, and 
Charles Dyer. Oziel Wilkinson was the first 
])resident of the institution and he was succeeded 
b\- Samuel .Slater and William Jenkins. During 
the panic of 1829 the bank lo.st heavily, and in 
1 83 1 it was removed to Providence, reorganized 
as a national bank in 1803 and is now a large 
and prosperous institution in that cit\-. 

The Massachusetts legislature cliartered, 
June 13, 1814, the Pawtucket bank with a 
capital of Si 00,000. The place of business was 
on Main street, and after a few vears the " Bank 



PAWTUCKET BANKS. 



199 



Building," south side of Main street, near tlie 
bridge on the east side, became the home of the 
institution, wliich continued to do business tliere 
until about 1850. The Farmers and Mechanics 
Bank, chartered in 1823, failed in 1829, but soon 
after in Providence the Phenix Bank was 
organized under the old charter, and continued 
to do business until ver\- recently. The North 
Providence Bank began Inisiness in 1834, but 
was discontinued in iSGS.* 

The New England Pacific Bank was started 
in vSniithfield in 18 18, but was removed to Paw- 
tucket in 1832. In 1866 it 
was reorganized as the Pacific 
National. The capital .stock 
is now $200,000. The offices 
are in the fine brick block, 
corner of Main and Maple ^ 

streets, which was erected by 
the bank in 1S91 . The oiTicers 
are : President, Hezekiah 
Conant; cashier, Charles L. 
Knight: directors, Hezekiah 
Conant, William H. Ha.skell, 
Jude Ta\lor, lulwin A. Per- 
rin, Everett P. Carpenter, 
Hiram A. Briggs, Eyman M. frank l 

Darling, George M. Thornton, 
Charles Sisson, William P. Dempsey, and J. 
Milton Payne. 

The People's Bank was incorporated in 
1846 and continued in business until 1865 when 
its capital and business were merged in the First 
National Bank of Pawtucket which was organ- 
ized that year. The National Bank has a cap- 
ital of $300,000. It is located in elegant quarters 
on the ground floor of the Music Hall building. 
Since its organization it has transacted a very 
sticcessful business. The president, 01ne> 




•Historical Sketch of Pawtucket, p. 131. 



Arnold, has been connected with this bank and 
its ])redecessor the People's Bank for nearly 
forty years. The cashier, William H. Park, has 
been with the First National Bank since it was 
first established. The directors are : Olney 
Arnold, Henry F. Barrows, Hezekiah Conant, 
Edward L. Freeman, William H. Park, Darius 
L. troff, Lyman B. Coff, Oeorge M. Thornton, 
and Albert A. Jenks. 

The .Slater Bank was incorporated in 1S55, 
reorganized as a national bank in 1865, has a 
capital of $300,000, and the banking rooms are 
in the Dexter building, cor- 
ner of Main street and East 
avenue. The president is 
Stephen A. Jenks, the cashier 
is George W. Newell, and 
the directors are Stephen A. 
Jenks, Hezekiah Conant, 
Frederick C. Sayles, Edward 
A. Greene, F'rank S. Drowne, 
Joseph C. Jencks, Samuel M. 
Conant, Charles O. Read, 
Frank A. vSayles, and George 
W. Newell. 

In Pawtucket there are 
■CHELL, three savings banks. The 

Pawtucket Institution for 
Savings began business in 1836, has deposits 
amounting to about $3,000,000 in the names 
of nearly 6000 persons. The bank occupies 
quarters in the building owned b\' it and the 
Pacific Bank, corner Main and Maple .streets. 
The officers are : President, Hezekiah Conant; 
vice-president, Jude Taylor ; treasurer, Charles 
P. Moies : tru.stees, George A. Mumford, George 
M. Thornton, Charles B. Payne, Edwin A. 
Perrin, Lyman M. Darling, Charles P. Moies, 
John .A. Arnold. Isaac Shove, W. D. S. Havens. 
The Providence County Savings Bank was 
incorporated in 1853. It deposits are about 



I I, I.rS'l'RA'Pi;]) HISTORY Ol' I'AWTI'CKKT 



$1,50(1,000 with abonl 4000 (Ifiwisitcns. Its 
banking rooms art.- in Music Hall Iniilding. 
The officers are : President, Henry \i. Metcalf: 
vice-president, lulmiind S. Mason; secretary 
and treasurer, ()lne\' Arnold; directors. Pardon 
E. Tillinghast, Charles H. Krencli, W illiani H. 
Park, Arthur H. Metcalf, Charles Iv. Pervear, 
Benjamin 1'. Smith, Adolph Cohen, Albert A. 
Jenks. 

The Franklin Savings Bank, which was in- 
corporated by the Massachusetts legislature in 
1.S57, is now located in the Dexter building 
which is the property of tlie 
bank, the dejxisits amount to 
about $1,500,000 and there 
are about 3,000 depositors. 
The officers are: President, 
A. A. Mann; vice-president, 
Stephen .\. Jenks; treasurer, 
George \V. Newell; trustees, 
Charles C. Burnhani, Henry 
A. Stearns, Thomas P. Barne- 
field, P'dward A. Greene, 
Heiu'x' A. Smith, Allen P". 
Bray, F. A. Barker, Frank 
M. Bates. 

The Pawtucket Safe De- 
posit Co., organized in 1890, 
occtipies rooms in the l)uilding owned by the 
Pacific National Bank and the Pawtucket 
Institution for vSavings. The officers are : Presi- 
dent, Hezekiah Conant ; vice-president, William 
H. Haskell ; secretary and treasurer, Charles 
P. Moies. 

The entire caj)ital invested in the three 
national lianks is $.Soo,ooo, while the aggregate 
amount of deposits in the three savings institu- 
tions is about $6,000,000, represented by about 
15,000 names. All these banks are in a jiros- 
perous condition and are evidently conducted 
carefullv and conser\-ati\'elv. 




GEORGE C. GATES 



Pawtucket is the liomc of an old and well 
established insurance compan\- which was 
chartered at the May vSession of the Rhode 
Island General Assembl>' in iS4.S, was organ- 
ized June 19, 1.S48, and began business Feb. m. 
1849. This institution is the Pawtucket Mutual 
Fire Insurance Co. Ivdward .S. Wilkinson was 
the first jiresident, Capt. John C. Tower the 
first secretary, Jesse vS. Tourtcllot the first 
treasurer, and the original board of directors or 
trustees were Alanson Thaj'er, Steplien Bene- 
dict, Gideon L. .Spencer, Charles Moies, John 

H. Weeden, Claudius B. 

Farnsworth, James C. Stark- 
weather, Gideon C. vSmith, 
Horace Miller and Ahin 
Jenks. Jan. 13, 1^49, Mr. 
Tower resigned as secretary, 
when Stephen Gano Benedict 
was appointed to the posi- 
tion. He was succeeded by 
Samuel Shove, Dec. 31, 1850, 
who resigned Jan. 14, 1S56, 
when Isaac .Shove was elected 
and has held the office ever 
since, for a period of over 
forty years. Gideon C. Smith, 
was elected president Oct. 28, 
1851, on the resignation of Mr. Wilkinson, and 
ser\-ed until May 26, 18S4, when Robert .Sherman 
was elected and continued in office until his death 
June 23, 1895; he was succeeded by Dr. .\. .A. 
Mann, who was elected Juh' i, 1896, and still 
holds the office. The ])resent treasurer is 
Charles P. Moies, and the board of directors 
are : George A. Mumford, James L. Jenks, 
Benjamin F. Smith, George W. Newell, 
Fxlmund .S. Mason, Philo h'.. Tha>er, Ivdward 
A, Greene, Frederick W. I\aston, J. Milton 
Pavne. 



chaptf:r XV. 



MODKRN I'AWTrCKKT — WATKR WORK.S — SRWKRS— PARKS — CEMETERIES — MILITARY COM- 
PANIES—THE VETERAN FIREMEN — SOCIETIES— THE POST OFFICE — HIGH 
SCHOOLS— MONUMENTS — PUBLIC BUILDINGS — HOMES, ETC. 




AWTUCKET Is to-day a 
pro t; ressive immicipalitv 
provided with the conven- 
iences so essential to mod- 
ern life. Her citizens are 
alert and enterprising^, and 
awake to the necessity of 
progress, and projects are 
on foot which will still fnr- 
tlier ad\'ance the position 
of the cit>' antl place her 
in the fir.st rank as a well- 
ordered, energetic, modern 
American community. 

At the beginning of the 
century the Rhode Island 
village of Pawtucket had a semi-public water 
supply. A fountain ten or twelve feet deep 
and as many broad, the sides built of logs 
and the top covered with heavy timbers, was 
located in the middle of Main street about the 
]iresent neighborhood of Trinity- square. A 
stream or brook ran from this down one side of 
the road to the distillery which stood near 
where the Wheaton and Dexter blocks now are, 
and hollow log pipes conveyed the water to 
.some of the bleaching fields and to penstocks 
conveniently located on both sides of the river, 
where the inhabitants could come and di]) out 
what they wanted. In iSoS Oziel Wilkinson 



I Hb 
SOLDIERS' MONUMENT 



built another fountain on his " great meadow," 
on the slo])e of the hill in the vicinity of Park 
place, and the water was distributed by log 
pipes in the same manner as from the other 
fountain.* By the improvement of the roadways, 
the digging of wells, which cut off the supply of 
these fountains, and the decay of the wooden 
pipes, these old water works, had outlived their 
usefulness before the middle of the icentur\' was 
reached. 

After the political union of the two sides of 
the river had been accomplished in i^j-^, the 
citizens began to see the advantages of securing 
a public supply of water. At that time all the 
water for drinking and culinary purposes was 
obtained from wells in the house yards. There 
were no .sewers, and as population increased in 
density many of the wells became contaminated 
and unfit for use. By vote of the town meeting 
a committee consisting of Olney Arnold, C. B. 
Farnsworth, W. F. Sayles, Robert Sherman, 
Charles E. Chickering, Samuel S. Collyer and 
H. B. Metcalf, was appointed March i, 1875, to 
procure i>lans and estimates for a water supply. 
This committee, on Dec. 27. 1S75, made a 
report in which was incorporated a pai)er by 
Walter H. Sears, civil engineer, who among 
other .sources of supply suggested taking water 

•Ik-ncdicl's Rciuuiiscciices, Nos, 3!l and 41.'. 



ILT.USTR ATI'.D HISTORY O I" I'AWTUCKET. 




RESIDENCE OF HEZEKIAH CON^lNT, CLAY STREET, CENTRAL FALLS. 



by gravitation from a storat;c reservoir, which 
would oV)tain the water l)y natural (lraiiiav;e 
from sjirings and brooks. The committee 
recommended this plan liut it was not ado])ted 
by the town. 

Meanwhile the question continued to be 
agitated. At a town meeting, March 30, 1-S77, 
the electors \-oted to utilize the waters of the 
Abbott Run, a small stream which unites with 
the Blackstone ri\-er at \'alley h'alls ; to con- 
struct a high service reser\-oir on Stump Hill, 
Lincoln, two and a half miles west of the falls : 
and to build a pumping station and lay twenty- 
five miles of pipes. To carry out the.se ])roiects 
$400,000 was appropriated April 2, 1S87, a 
board of water commissioners was elected, 
consisting of Samuel S. CoUyer, William H. 



Haskell, and George H. Fuller, and the work 
of construction was begun immediately. The 
jHunping station and a settling basin were built 
on the east bank of the Blackstone ri\'er in 
1S77. A 3()-inch ]iii>e running along the bank 
of the Black.stone, from the Happy Hollow pond 
at the mouth of the Abbott Run, conveyed the 
water to the engine. The pumping station was 
located here in order to ha\e it within the town 
limits, rather than at the tlistril)uling reservoir 
at the mouth of the Abbott Run, in the town of 
Cund)erland. B\- this arrangement taxation 
was a\-oided, but the first cost in\i)l\ed an acUli- 
tional expense of $67,000. 

h'eb. 2, 187.S, the works were far enough 
advanced so on that date they were put in 
operation, although the high pressure reservoir 





HEZEKIAH CONANr, 



Till'; wati':r works. 



203 



on vStiimp hill, which had been re-iiaiiied Reser- 
voir heights, was not used until late in 1S7S, 
and not conqileled until early the killowing year. 
The original estimate for construction was 
$385,000, but this amount had been spent and it 
was found that $200,000 more would be required 
to complete the works. Such a condition of 
affairs resulted in much popular dissatisfaction, 
the water commissioners and the engineer, Wal- 
ter H. Sears, were blamed, with the result that 
the engineer was deposed, and a new board of 
connnissioners elected April 2. 1S79, consisting 
of Samuel S. Collyer, Isaac Shove and Edwin 
Darling, who proceeded to carry out the under- 
taking according to the original ])lan, and the 



works as first projected were practically com- 
pleted under their administration. April 2, 
1880, Lucius B. Darling, E. A Grout and 
Robert D. Mason were elected commissioners. 
April 5, iSSo, the board appointed Ivdwin 
Darling superintendent of the water works, and 
under his direction the labor of construction 
and extension was carried on for fourteen years, 
or until April, 1894. A second pumping station 
was built at the dam of the Happy Hollow 
pond, Valley Falls, in 1SS3, and a third nearby 
on the bank of the Blackstone river in 1888. 
The demand for the water, which is of very 
excellent quality, had become so great that on 
March 2, 1885, $100,000 was appropriated to 




THE JOHN B. READ HOMESTEAD 



264 



ILLUSTRATKD HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT. 



build a storage reservoir on IJianioiul hill. 
This uiulerlakiiig was begun in Miiy . iSS.s, but 
the dam was .slightly damaged b.v a Hood I'Vb. 
12, 1886. The old dam at Happy Hollow pond 
was also carried away. The Diamond hill 
reservoir was completed Octolier, iSSj, and the 
new dam at Happy Hollow was finished in 
November. The Diamond hill dam is 1055 feet 
long, 45 feet high, 35 feet wide on top and 160 
feet at the bottom, and the reser^■oir has an 
area of 275 acres with a capacity of 1,600,000,000 
gallons. It is situated nine miles north of 
Pawtucket in the town of Cumlierland on the 
south side of the hill from which it takes its 
name. 

The water works consist at present of three 
pumping stations, three reser^-oirs and a settling- 
basin. The water flows through the channel of 
the Abbott Run from the Diamoml hill reser- 
voir, into the Happy Hollow pond and from 
there it is pumped by the engines into the high 




THE RESIDENCE OF SAMUEL SLATER IN THE EARLY PART OF THE CENTURY 

AS IT NOW APPEARS. 



pressure reservoir on Ueser\-oir heights, from 
which it flows by gravitation into the .service 
])il)es. Hapj))- Hollow pond co\-ers an area of 
about twenty-three acres, has a drainage basin 
of 23.6 square miles and a storage capacity of 
about 72,000,000 gallons. The distributing res- 
ervoir on Reservoir heights is tw(j and a half 
miles west of the falls in the town of Lincoln, 
its capacity is 20,000,000 gallons and the height 
of the water surface above tide level is 301 feet. 
A pressure greater than usual is thus secured. 

Pawtucket not only has plent>- of water for 
her own purposes but also sn]iplies Central 
Falls, Valley Falls and Lonsdale, Ashton and 
Berkeley, and East Providence, and water is fur- 
nished to those places under contracts between 
the municipalities. The total length of mains in 
these fi\-e divisions up to Nov. 30, 1895, was 
1 28. 24 miles, and the nund^er of coiniections 
was 7071. 'I'he ilail\- capacity of the works is 
12,000,000 million gallons and the average 
daily constimption in 1895 was 
" j 5,471,088 gallons. 

In 1895 the income from 
water rates and other sources 
was $164,681, and the total 
expense was $110,118.50, over 
one-half of which was interest 
on the debt incurred in con- 
•struction, and of the balance 
$55,000 was set aside for the 
sinking fund. The works are 
thus self-su.staining and have 
been since three years after 
their completion. The total 
cost of construction iqi to the 
end of 1895 was $1,735,488.79, 
against which is a sinking fund 
of $455,044, about a third of 
which has been accumulated 
(Hit of the water rates. As an 



THE SEWER SYSTEM. 



205 




example of immicipal socialism applied to 
water supply the experience of Pawtucket 
affords as good an illustration of the benefits 
to the community as can be found an5'wliere. 
The cost of water to the consumers is only 
$5.00 per faucet or $7.50 for two faucets ; 
when sold b>- meter, 30 cents per thousand gal- 
lons for household use ; and as low as 6 cents 
per thousand gallons to large users in propor- 
tion to quantities taken. It is claimed that no 
water works in the United States, operated 
under similar conditions, can make a more 
favorable showing as to co.st to water takers 
and expense of construction and maintainence, 
when the time they have been operated and the 
height to which the water is carried by direct 
pumping is considered. 

Having obtained a water snp])ly the next 
thing was to get a sewer system. The ilrains 
which in the earlier history of the town had 
been put in the streets to carry off the storm 
and surface water, proved inadequate, as streets 
were improved and ])opulation increased. Some 



of them became clogged u]), the waste water 
overflowed, old wells became catch basins, and 
there resulted a condition of affairs which was 
a serious menace to health. From iSSo to 
1883-4 plans were considered and the question 
of sewers discu.s.sed Ijy the town council. The 
town council of 1883-4 appointed a committee 
on sewers consisting of Albert Brown, Henr\- A. 
Smith and Alonzo E. Pierce, but Mr. lirown 
.soon resigned and Frederick W. Easton was 
elected in his place. Charles R. Pjucklin suc- 
ceeded Mr. Easton during 1884-5. This com- 
mittee began the construction of sewers by day 
work and up to the end of 1884 had laid 3.67 
miles of pipe sewers and 1.25 miles of brick 
sewers, a total of nearly five miles, and there 
were about one hundred connections. 

The town council on Dec. 30, 1884, elected 
a board of sewer connnissioners consisting of 
Isaac Shove, FVederick W. Easton, and Charles 
R. Bucklin, who at once went to work to 




) PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD. 



206 



ILLUSTRATKD HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT. 



.i-*»- 





CARLOS L. ROGERS, 

improve existing sewers and 
construct new ones. The town 
appropriated, April 24, 1SS5, 
$4,500 for maintenance and 
construction, and every year 
since the sewer system has 
been steadil\- extended, until 
at the end of 1.S95 in the 
numicipal liDunds of Paw 
tucket, with an area of S.72 
square miles, there were 34.16 
miles of sewers. 

The disposal of the sewage 
became a serious (|uestion as 
the number and length of the sewers increased. In the water- 
shed of the Blackstone ri\-er direct disposal was the most 
practical method, but in the district west "f the dividing ridge 
between the Blackstone and Moshassuck rixers, a different 
system was necessary. After conferring with engineers and 
inspecting .sewerage works in other cities it was decided in 
1892 to use a system of filter l)eds in this latter section. The 
cit\- is now divided into two drainage sections, the Hlack- 
.stone ri\-er district antl the Moshassuck rixer district. At 
])resent the sewers in the first district, which are now 27.16 
miles in length, all em])t\- directl\' into the Ulackstone river, 
but according to the plan now contemplated it is jiroposed to 



conduct all the sewage in this district to the " town landing," 
on the west side of the ri\-er, just north ol the I)i\ision .street 
bridge, and from there jiunij) it to filter beds constructed to 
receive it in a suitable location. 

The other district has at present only seven miles of sewers 
which flow b\- gra\'it\- directly into the filter beds, located in 
the south ])art of the city, on low land orininalU- part of the 
"Oreat vSwamp," bordering on the .Moshassuck river. The 
Moshassuck is so small a stream, and is already so fold from 
natural drainage and waste from factories that direct disposal 
of sewage into its channel would have been impossible for any 
length of time. Imu' this reason the necessitx' for some artificial 
,sy.stem of di.sposal in the drainage basin of this stream was 

imperative. Accordingl\- the 
construction of filter beds was 
begun in 1.S93 and they first 
received .sewage during the 
winter following. The city 
owns here 8 acres of land, 
3.88 of which are co\-ered 
with filter beds and tanks, 
2.36 acres being the area of 
the receiving surface for sew- 
age. This space is tli\ided 
into 13 beds, 4 of which are 
sludge beds and are slightlv 



JOHN W. WILLMARTH, 

F OF PAWTUCKET FIRE OEPARTME 




ISAAC B. CARPEMFER 
NAGER PAWTUCKET TELEPHONE 



SCENES IN LOCAL CEMETERIES. 



207 





1 ST. PATRICK'S VALLEY FALLS. 
4. ST. MARY'S. 



3. RIVERSIDE. 



2. MINERAL SPRING. 

5. MOSHASSUCK, CENTRAL FALLS. 



20S 



ILLUvSTRATKD HIvSTORV OF PAWTUCKKT. 



])cl()\v Ur- k-VL-l of the others. On the i;rouiuls 
are two settling tanks, 30 by 100 feet, and 
4 feet deep, which are roofed over. These 
tanks receive tile sewage and from llieni it is 
discliarged onto tlie beds.* Tlie small amount 
of material left on the surface of the sludge beds 
is composted and has been u.sed as a fertilizer on 
adjoining land, but no income has been derived 
from it. 

From 1S84 to 1S94 the sewers were under 
the care of the board of sewer connnissioners, 
l)ut in the latter year a lioard of public works 
was organized which has since had charge of 
all the highwa\s, sewers, and water works. 
The members of this board are Loren O. Ladd, 
commissioner, and F'red (>. Perry, assistant 
commissioner. The filter beds and the sewers 
since 1894 have been constructed under the 
superintendence of George A. Carpenter, city 
engineer. The cost of the filter plant, not 
including the price of the land, has been about 
$12,000. 

Pawtucket up to the ])resent has had no 
great need for public jiaiks, as, with the 
exception of the section around the falls, the 
buildings and dwellings are not compacth" 
assembled, and there are many vacant spaces. 
With the growth of the city, howe\-er, within 
the pa.st decade there has arisen a desire for a 
public ground which the people would have a 
right to use instead of depending on pri\-ate 
owners. About 1SS6 a moxement was started 
to secure the Dunnell estate on the east side, 
but the attempt failed. This would have made 
a beautiful park, as it is of a diversified char- 
acter with trees, lawns and slopes, and is situ- 
ated on the Blackstone river. The city in 1S94 
purchased for a park i.Si acres of land known 



*Sewage Purification at Pawtucket, R. I., l)y 
George A. Carpenter, City P^ngiueer. — Engineering 
Ne-cus, Jan. L', ISitO. 



as the Daggett farm at the end f)f Brook street 
on the extreme eastern border of the city. The 
Ten Mile river skirts this estate on the east. 
The land is flat, and is in fact on the edge of 
the Seekonk ])lain, but the ])roximit\' of the 
rix'er antl some slight elexations at the south 
afford op])ortunities for good landscape effects. 
No improvements have yet been made. The 
name Memorial park has so far been applied 
to the ground. It is reached through Brook 
street, but as yet is not accessible by any street 
car line. 

B\- a deed dated June 18, 1867, the town of 
North Providence purchased from Asa Pike for 
$8,346.75 fifty-five acres of land, with a frontage 
of about 1500 feet on vSmithfield aveiuie and 
extending eastward to the Moshassuck river. 
The intention was to use this territorj- for a 
cemetery, but as the years passed the project 
was not carried out. Dec. 11, 1895, the city 
council voted to convert the old farm into a park. 
At the May session in 1896 the Genei'al Assem- 
bly passed an act which will have the effect of 
making it impossible to use the land for any 
other purpose. The laud is of a diversified 
character, well adajited for jiark purposes, and 
is nuich more accessible than the Memorial park. 

'I'here are three small i)arks near the cen- 
tral part of the cit>-. The largest and oldest is 
Wilkinson park which is a part of O/.iel Wilkin- 
son's "old grass field," so well known in the 
early years of the centur\- as Church Hill com- 
mon. It was bequeathed to the town b>- O/.iel 
Wilkinson.* Situated on high ground about 
a thousand feet west of the falls, it is reached 
from Main street through Park ]dace, and is a 
very charming, grass-grown, tree-dotted trian- 
gular area of a little more than half an acre, 
enclosed with an iron fence, and has a moini- 

*Historical .Sketch of Pawtucket, p. :!(i. 




LYMAN B. GOFF, 
OF 0. GOFF i SONS, AND PRESIDENT UNIC 



THR CKMKTF. RIEvS. 



209 




RESIOEMCt Of GEN. OLNEY ARNOLD, BROAD STREET. 



mental fountain in the centre. The iron fence 
was erected and the trees planted about 1871. 
The area was given its present name by vote of 
the North Providence town council, Sept. 2, 1872, 
in honor of Oziel Wilkinson. Mineral Sjiring 
park is a small, unenclo.sed, triangular area at 
the junction of Mineral Spring avenue and Main 
street, and contains a monument to the memory 
of Samuel S. Collyer, chief engineer of the 
Pawluckel Fire Department, who died Jul\' 27, 
1.S84, as the result nl injuries received at a 
fire. At the junction of I'ark anil Fountain 
streets, Pleasant View, is Carter park, a small 
triangular, unenclosed and grass -grown area. 
In Pawtucket and Central Falls there 
are now seven burial urounds. The oldest is 



Mineral Spring cemetery, which has been in use 
for more than a century and contains the graves 
of Timothy- Greene, David Wilkinson, Barney 
Merry, Pardon Jenks, Franklin Rand, the two 
wives of Sanuiel Slater, and many of the promi- 
nent inhabitants of the west side hamlet in the 
earh- years of the century. Many members of 
different branches of the Jenks family are here 
buried. The cemeter\- is a litlle over ten acres 
in extent, l)Ut it is now near the centre of the 
cit\' and cannot be extended in area. 

Oak (rro\-e cemeter\- comes next to Mineral 
S])ring in age, and contains the graves of many 
niendiers of old Rehoboth families. The oldest 
gravestone is <lated 1826. The area of the 
cemetery is about thirty-two acres. Both the 



ILLUSTk ATlvD HISTORY OI- 1' AWT l' C K IvT. 



Mineral Spriiii; and Oak GroNc cemeteries are 
owned and adniinistereil 1)V the city. 

Adjoining Oak Orove on the soutli is tlie 
Wahuil Hill cemetery, which belongs to a cor- 
poration of that name, incorporated in 1882. The 
entrance is on Brook street and the area of the 
around is ahonl twel\-e acres. The owners are 




WILLIAM H. HASKELL, 

PRESIDENT OF THE WILLIAM H. HASKELL CO. 

Olney Arnold, F. A. Abell, estates of A. H. 
Littlelield, William H. Park, and ]•:. S. Binford, 
and the officers are: Olney Arnold, treasurer; 
William H. Park, secretary; Olney Arnold, 
William H. Park, and K. vS. Binford, tru.stees. 
St. Mary's cemetery on George street, 
corner of Grace, in the rear of St. Marv's church. 



contains between three and four acres, ami was 
set a])art as a burial ground soon after the 
church was built. The oldest gravestone now 
standing is dated 183.S. John Gordon, who 
was hung for the murder of Amasa Sprague, 
which was committed Dec. 31, 1843, is said to 
be buried here. His grave is unmarked, but its 
location is jjointed out to the left of the 
entrance on George street. The super- 
intendent of the cemetery is Daniel 
McConiiskey. As the Catholic popu- 
lation increa.sed this cemetery became 
overcrowded, and in 1S72 the St. 
Francis cemetery on Sniithfield avenue 
was opened. It has been enlarged from 
time to time, now extends to the rail- 
road and the Moshassuck river, and 
contains about 125 acres. The Banigan 
Memorial Chapel, a beautiful Gothic 
edifice of granite, built in 1.S92, occujiics 
a commanding position on the west side 
of the cemetery. 

The Moshassuck cemeterx'. Lons- 
dale avenue, Central Falls, was opened 
in 1S68, The area is al)Out seven acres. 
The lot owners form the corporation, 
and the officers are : Eastwood East- 
wood, president; James H. Lyon, treas- 
urer ; Robert L. Johnstone, secretary; 
James Hacking, superintendent. 

Riverside cemetery was laid out in 
1874, and belongs to the Riverside 
Burial Society. It adjoins Swan Point 
cemetery. Providence. ICvery lot owner 
is a member of the cor]>oration, and the annual 
meetings are held in July of each year. The 
area is about fifty acres. The officers are: John 
W. Davis, treasurer, and Samuel A. Sholes, 
superintendent. 

The most ancient graveyard in Pawtucket 
was the old Jenks Burying Ground, which was 



THE OLD JKXKs nURVING GROUXD. 



situat.,1 lK.tueen Hi,l, and Xorll. AFain strc-.ts, jus, south of 
K.a.l sum. Acconliu^ to the touu records it was lour rods 
w.de and d,ht rods h,„K. I" .S., ■• the . hole „u„,l,er o, old 
Sraves dul uot exceed sixty, ami they lay iu rows trou, north 
to south with the headstones faciu. west. The stoues were 
dark gray slate, uuiforn> i„ their ,nake, with an auuel's head 
e"grave<l on the face of eaclu They were hadh- leaniul 
broken and defaced. The burying ground was at that dav' 
and had been for many years a play groi:nd for the children 
of the ne.ghborhood, and a crossing place for all who wished 
to go from street to street." 

No interments are supposed to luavc been made in tl,e old 
ground after the new graveyard was opened on the Min- 
eral vSpring road in 1785 or 
1790. A fence running the 
length of the ground and di- 
viding it in two was erected 
about the beginning of the 
century by adjoining laud 
owners, and is said to have 
crossed the gra\-es of the first 
settler and his wife, whose 
bodies were sujjposed to lie 
near the centre of the area. 
A footi)ath cro.ssed the grave- 
yard obliquely from High 
street to North Main, and was 





much u.sed in traveling to and 
trom X'alley Falls and Central 
balls. In 1840 Pardon Jenks. 
then the chief cnvuer of the 
Jenks estate in Pawtucket, 
ami who seemed to ha\e au- 
thority in the matter, is said 
to liave authorized the abut- 
ting owners to eiiclo.se the 
gra\eyard in their estates. 
He was doubtless prompted 
to this decision by tile tact 
that the place was occupied 
bv pig pens and hen houses 
and had become a common dumping ground for the neighbor- 
Part of the ground had also been u.sed by an adjoin- 




Ikjo 



mg tannery to dry the .stock and liules. The landowners .soon 
after availed themselves of this permi.ssion of •• Tncle Pardon " 
•Maiiv of the old headstones were removed and some were saved 
and store.l awa>- in the old Phinney house an<l elsewhere. 

The grave of Covernor Jenks is said to have been kept in 
nidilion by Deacon Taber until his .lealh in ,.S^,s. An 



ood 



ADELARO J. FORTIER, 
DENTIST. 



eyewitness, William H. Phinney, testifies that the gravestones 
of (Governor Jenks were still standing in ■,S4„, ,„,, „,e .same 
".an wrote that he had no knowledge of the removing or disinter- 
nng 01 the remains of any person in that burying ground. This is 



ILLTTSTkATKI) IIISToRV () I- I'AWTr C K I'.T. 




RESIDENCE OF 



AND PHILIP 



a direct contradiction of statements previously 
current as to the removal of Governor Jenks's 
l.xxly and the destruction of his gravestone.* 
The testimony as to the exhumation of Gov. 
Jenks's body is, however, direct. The Paw- 
tucket Chronicle of June, 1831, sa\s ; 

" We yesterday witnessed the disinterment 
of Hon. Joseph Jenks, one of the first governors 
of the colony of Rhode Island, who died on the 
fifteenth of June, 1740, ninety-one years ago. 
The skeleton was nearh- entire and in a better 
state of perservation than could have been 
expected. Governor Jenks was probably the 



•Historical Sketch of Pawtucket, p. 'S3 ; See 
Chapter I!, p. ")() ; Gazette and Chronicle, April '20, 1894. 



tallest man that ever lived in the .state, .standing 
when living seven feet and two inches without 
his shoes. His thigh bones when taken up 
measured eighteen inches." The editiir and 
]iro]irietor of the paper at that time was .Samuel 
\V. I'owler. 

Xexerthelcss this is not conchisi\-e testi- 
mouN-, as the botlx' ma\' ha\e been returned to 
the grave. In fact one of the neighborhood 
stories is that Franklin Rand ordered the 
remains reinterred. Circumstances that lend 
color to this version, or at lea.st throw a doubt 
on the new\spaper testimou}-, are that the Jenks 
family has no record of the transfer of the 
bod\' to the Mineral vS])ring cemetery, and 



vSTREET IMPROVEMENTS. 



213 



neither is there any ])ul)lic or cemetery 
record of the renio\-ah 

To tell the storv ol the laying out 
of new streets and the straightening and 
widening of old ones in Pawtucket, 
would re(iuire a large volume. Within 
the past score of years these highwa)' 
improvements have been especially notice- 
alile. .\mong the mo.st important under- 
takings were the widening of the lower 
part of High street in i.Syo and of East 
avenue, Lumber street and North ITiiion 
street in 1S9V The East avenue and 
the High street improvements entailed 
great expense, as many buildings had to 
be moved, demolished, or reduced in size, 
but the result was worth the expen.se, as 
the centre of the city was thereby opened 
up and vastly bettered both in appearance 
and for purposes of business. At the end 
of 1895 Pawtucket had 68.12 miles of 
improved .streets, 12.25 miles of which 
were macadamized, 5.34 miles paved with 
granite blocks, and 50.21 miles gravelled 
and with excellent roadwax'S. 

A project in street iniprovment which 
it is to l)e hoped will be carried out 
in the near future is the continuation of 
North Main street from Main to the 
junction of Pleasant and Lumber streets 
at a width of fort3"-five feet, and the 
widening of Main street fifteen feet from 
P'ast avenue to River street, which would 
also require the widening of the bridge 
at the falls. The extension of North 
Main .street would be through the ancient 
industrial headquarters of Pawtucket, the 
old "coal yard," and would open up 
and render available territory which is 
not as accessible under modern conditions 
as is desirable. The whole project would 





;i4 



1 1, LT ST RAT I', I) HISTORY O 1' RAW T 1' C K I' T. 



C()ni])k-U- IIk- (i]n.'iiini; up iit the ct-'iitiL- ol the v\{y 
so \vt.-lll)ct;\iii I)\ tin- widening; of I'.asl aveinn.' and 
Ui.^h stivet. Tile v\\.y I'ouuril at tlu- last im-i-t- 
inj5 of the two luxlirs in I )(.-cL-inl)er, iSys. votL-d 
for these iinproveinc-nts, and a])])ointcd a com- 
mission consisting; of iMcdcrick W, Maslon, 
Hcinard McCaughc\- and (ieor^e W. (lorton, 
to carry tlic-m out. Owins;- to technical irre- 
gularities, in that sulTicient time was not allowed 
for the nia\or to act as provided !)>• law, the 
wliole matter was tangled up; but tlie commis- 




EDWARD SMITH, 

ALDERMAN SECOND WARD 1 886-92-1 894 ; PRESIDENT OF BOARD 1 890. 

si<m was or^-anized and has since been at work 
securiui; estimates and plan. 

In the central part of the city three streets 
cross the railroad at grade. These streets are 
Broad, Dexter, and Pine. The dangerous 
character of these crossings is so evident as to 
recjuire no argument. .Attempts have been made 
by negotiations Ijetween the city and the rail- 
road company to formulate .some plan 1)>- which 
they could be aboli.shed at the joint expense of 
the municipality and the railroad. Without 



doubt >ome t-cnisunnnation along ihe^e lines will 
be achie\ed in the neai' luture. An unsightly 
i-le\ated trestle, forming a long looj), bridges 
the railroad abo\-e the passenger station, and 
>ol\-es the problem of the abolition of the grade 
crossings for the electric cars. 

The Pawtucket fire district seems to have 
engaged in lighting the streets on the west side, 
although not speciall\- empowered by its charter 
to do so. For tile year ending March 31, 1S72, 
it spent $i,4.ss.y I for this jnirpose.* The east 
side village made a beginning of street lighting 
in i.Sfi2. The selectmen on April 6 of that year 
voted to pro\-ide " four lamps " for that purpose. 
From about 1S55, after the gas company began 
business, street lam]is came into regular use. 
In 1.S7S there were in use 29S gas lamps and 
153 oil lamps, and the cost of maintainence was 
$11,357.30.1' Flectric lights were first intro- 
duced in 1884, and were each year increased in 
nundier until 1S95, w'hen 54 full arc lights and 
213 half arc lights were in use. The full arc 
lights co.st $150 each ])er annum, burned all 
night except on moonlight nights, while the 
half arc lights cost $85 each jjcr annum and 
burned until one o'clock except on moonlight 
nights. In 18(^5 there were also in use 123 gas 
lamps and 213 oil lamps, and the total expendi- 
tures for the Near were >3 1,933. 84. 

Considerable dissatisfaction was felt at the 
high cost of the electric lights. This was 
clearh' xoiced by Ma\'or llenr\' I',. Tie])ke, in 
his third inaugurrd address, delivered Jan. 6, 
1896, in which he advocated the establishing of 
a municipal electric lighting ])lant to go into 
operation when the three \ears' ccmtract with 
the Pawtucket (ras Co. expired on ()ct. 31, 
iS9(). The cit_\- cmnicil on .Ma\- 14. 1896, 



•Treasurer's report of Fire Districl, ISrJ, p. I). 
tTown Repoils, 1S7S-!), p. ;i aiipeiitlix. 



Till', POLICI'; DI'l'A RTM I'lXT. 



215 



passed an ordinance, which was at once signed 
b\- the nia\()i", and thus Ijccanic innnediatel_\- the 
law of the cil\-. ai)i>n)i)riating- Sioo.ooo for the 
consirnctiini of an electric lii^htins; phint, to 
furnish li,i;lits for streets and pulilic Imildings. 
Tliis action was hastened by an attempt to pass 
a hill in the Rhode Island General Assembly 
which would ha\e had the effect of compelling 
cities and towns to bn\ out existing light com- 
panies, practically at their own \-ahiation, 
before starting municipal works. The bill also 
had other objectionable features which tended 
to perpetuate the monopoly of private companies 
and made it difficult to dislodge them except by 
years of effort. 

In the early da>s of the history of both 
\illages the only police were the town sergeants 
and constables, some of whom were veritable 
specimens of the genus Dogberry, which role 
was i)ossible on account of the simple manners 
anil e(iuality of conditions prevailing, .\nsel 
Carpenter was town sergeant from 1S53 until his 
death October 22, 1891, and until 1S71 was the 
virtual chief of police, with two or three con- 





JOHN T. COTTRELL, 



. COTTRELL ESTATE. 



stables to assist him. The tow4i of North 
Providence established a police department 
in 1S71, consisting of a chief of police, 
three sergeants and se\-enteen police con- 
.stables. At the time of the union in 1S74 a 
new ordinance was passed, and amendments 
were made at various times to suit the new con- 
ditions as they developed. The force at tlie 
end of 1S95 consisted of a chief, a captain, a 
sergeant, a detective, a roundsman, and forty 
patrolmen. The Court Hou.se on North Main 
street was erected in kS6c_) as a fire .station, but 
on A])ril, 1S75, having been rdlered to adapt it 
to the new ]iurpose, it became the i)olice head- 
quarlers, which it has since continued. An 
addition on the rear was built in 1S90. The 
first police headquarters were in Temperance 
hall. High street. Oliver H. Perry was 
chief of ])oIice from the organization of the city 
government in 1SS5 until his death Aug. 2, 
1896. Aug. 5, i.Sl)6, Capl. Randall H. Rice, 
was appointed chief. 



-4TEN0ENT OF L 



ILLUvSTRATlvD HI.STORV OK I'AWT r C K liT. 



The citv owns a farm (if aliont fifteen acres on 
Hrook slreet, and mi it arc liuililin-s for tile 
acconnnodatioiis i)f tlie dependent \nn<y and tlie 
insane. The farm and buildinijs are nnder the 
care of the overseer ol tlie ])oor. 

A number of inodeni business buildini;s 
have l.)eeii erected on the principal streets in 
the centre of the city on the west side within 
the past lew years. 'IMiese are chicll> located 
on Main and Ihoail streets from the bridge at 
the falls to the railroad dei>ot, a distance of less 
than half a mile. On this short thoroughfare, 
or closely adjacent to it. are assembled the 
chief retail stores, the banks, the offices of busi- 
ness and professional men, the places of amuse- 
ment, and the trading, financial and public life 
of the commuiiit\- here centres. 

Pawtucket needs a new city hall. The 
present building known by that name was 
erected by the town of North Providence in 187 1, 
but is now entirely inadequate to the wants of 
the niunici]>ality. It accommodates the cit\- 
clerk and his assistants, has quarters lor the tax 
assessors, ])ro\i(les a receptacle for the records, 
and has chambers for meetings of the council and 
board of aldermen, but the majority of the city 
officials lia\'e offices in other linildiiigs, I'ro- 
jjosals for a new edifice have lieeii brought for- 
ward at various times, but so far no jilan has 
been ado])ted. On the doulde lot next north, 
adjoining the ]5reseiit cit\- building, a Masonic 
temple is to be erecteil for the accommodation 
of the loc;il Masonic bodies, and it has been 
decided to occu])\' a portion of this structure for 
city offices. This arrangement will obviate the 
necessity for years to come of seeking additional 
quarters for the transaction of iminicij)al busi- 
ness. According to the jilan the city hall will 
be connected with the Masonic temjile by a 
covered passage way. 

I'etter methods as well as better accommoda- 



tions are needed in the conduct of the municipal 
business. The clerical work is well ])erformed 
and the officials are courteous and obliging, but 
the printed reports of the city are issued without 
indexes, jirepared carelessh', and there is no 
complete official file of them in the cit\ building 
or ill aii\ of the cits' offices. 

The finest dwellings and mansion houses in 
the cit\ are located chiefly on the east side. In 
fact the neighborhood intersected by Summit 
street and at the beginning of Walcott and Cot- 
tage streets and Hroadway has sometimes been 
called "Quality Hill." Here are man>- of the 
homes of the wealthy manufacturers. The three 
.streets last named, as well as the intersecting 
avenues connecting them, are lined with neat 
frame hou.ses, many of them large and costly 
edifices. They are embowered in trees, sur- 
rounded with lawns, and constitute a collection 
of homes which for the general effect of comfort, 
beauty of natural environments, taste and neat- 
ness, is unsurpassed in any New England city. 
On the west side there many beautiful dwellings 
on Church hill and the neighborhoo<l of W'iikiii- 




BIRTHPLACE OF JABEZ FOLLLTT 
LINCOLN, FORMERLY SMtTHFIELD. 



.^ 




dar:us goff, 

FOUNDER OF D, GOFF & SONS AND THE UNION WADDING CO. 



PAWTUCKET BUSINESS MEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



217 



son park, on Pawtncket and East avenues, and on Broad and 
High streets in 1„,th Pawtncket and Central Falls. 

The south part „f the west side, and Central 1-alls and 
I'leasaul \-icu-, are the principal seetions where are found the 
'•"•innnu class of dwelliuKS, which in general in this comnui- 
"■t.v arc well cared for, an.l in the.se di.stricts there are also 
...any heautihd hou.es. The city ha. outgrown in its lunues 
the factory village .stage, through the introduction of water and 
sewers ; and because of the wide open spaces existing between 
the houses, the e.xaniple of neatne.ss set bv so nianv- of the 
Letter class of dwellings, there has as vet been no such con^ 
eentratu.n of population as to result in slun.s, altlu.ngh in .some 
localities there are a few s.pialid rookeries. 

The same year that Paw- 
tucket began its career as a ' 
city, street railroads were 

.started, and were o])erated at 

first by horses. ]",lectricit\- 

was first utilized as a motive 

power March .S, i.Syj, There 

are now about twenty-three 

miles of surface roads in the 

streetsof the city, ever>- section 

is reached, and lines run out to 

Providence, North and East 

Attleboro, Central F'alls, Valley 

I'alls, Lonsdale and Saylesville. ___^ 

GEOF.GE J, HOWE, M, D. 






CHARLES A, GLANCY M. D. 



JOHN P. CORRIGAN, M. D. 

The debt of the city Dec. 

I. 1X95. was Sj!, 773, 884. 87. of 
which $1,780,214.36 was on 
general account, $1,241, 139.49 
for water works and $75, 253 1. 02 
for sewers. The as.se.ssed val- 
uation of the real estate in Au- 
gust, i8y6, was $27,135,564; 
personal, $5,476,930; total, 
$32,612,484. The amount of 
real estate tax was $407,033.- 
31 : personal property tax, 
^82,153.95; total. $pS9, 187.26. 
The rate of taxation is $15.00 
per $1000. 
The city abouiKls with .societies, organizations, clubs and 
associations. The olde.st organized body is the Union lo.lge 
of Free Ma.sons, established April ,5, ,808. All the principal 
secret and beneficial societies have local lo.lges or branches 
which meet in small halls in the central .section of thecitv mkI 
some of them have bnil.lings of their own. The Pawtncket 
Bn.smess .Men's As.sociatiou, organized in November, 1881, has 
exerted a n.arked influence in public affairs. It is imposed 
-I the leading citizens ami is the principal business organization 
'1 he presi.leiit is Lvman 1!. Ooff and the seeretarv James I.. 
Jeiiks. The association has rooms in Music Hall buihling 
which are open constantly for the coiivenieiice ol members. .U 



ILI.USTRATl'I) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKl'T. 



its miiiitlil\ ineclinns, ])a]>eis or addresses on 
])ul)lic questions or matters ol lot-al interest 
are lie(|nentl\- ])resented. 'I'lie To Kalon Clnh 
is a Inst elass social orL;ani/ation, establislied 
in iS(>;, which now occnjiies the Lamed Pitcher 
mansion, sonlhwest corner of Pitclier and Main 
streets. 

Alter the war ol iSij there seems to have 
heen lor some \ears no ^reat interest in military 
affairs in Pawtucket. Maj- 2, 1824, forty citi- 
zens of North Providence organized a military 
comiian\-, and at the Ma\- sessiini of the Oeneral 
Assenilily the same year secured a charter as 
the " Fayette Rifle Corps, in the Second Regi- 
ment of Militia." The company was authorized 
to ein-oll one luiiulred men exclusive of officers, 
and the first officers were : Samuel Jacobs, 
captain; Samuel Greene, first lieutenant; John 
T. Lowden, second lieutenant ; and Abner S. 
Tompkins, ensign. The last annual meeting 
according to the old company records was held 
April 30, 1S32, but drill meetings were undoubt- 
edly held after that date. An arnior>- was 
erected and was ready for occupancy July 4, 
1825, and in the old records of the conqKUn' it 
is called the .Vlarm Post. This building stood 




THE OLD ARMORY, 

R FXCHANGE AND HIGH STREETS 




on Church hill, on the east side of what is now 
Wilkinson park. When Oeneral Lafa>ette c)n 
his \isit to America in 1S24 passed through 
Pawtucket the corps, which had been named in 
his honer, ex])ected to escort him, but unfortun- 
ateh' their uniforms were not reads'. 'I'he 
original niendiers ol the rifle corjis was: Jidm 
T. Lowtlen, vSamuel Greene, Mar\in W. Fisher, 
Abner S. Tompkins, George Lawton, Martin 
Kingsley, Jeremiah Jenks, Peleg vS. Tompkins, 
.\l\in Jenks, Cornelius S. Tompkins, Arnold 
.Sheldon, Reynolds Hoxey, Jeremiah O. Arnold, 
George F. Jenks, George Bucklin, Joseph 
Baker, Albert C. Jenks, F;iias Benedict, 
Nathaniel Wilbour, Thomas J. Hill. Job 
P)ennett, Amos B. Morrell, Josei)h .Vrnold, John 
Kennedy, Horace Miller, James N. 
Jenks, Stephen Brown, George G. 
Brown, Sabin Allen, Jabel Patl, Daniel 
Arniinglon, Andrew Smith. Thomas 
I^eI"a\'our, Stephen Benedict, Nathan .\. 
Brown, George Harris, Shepard C. 
Kingsley, Albert Carpenter, Samuel 
Jacobs. Ahin S. Wilkin^. 

After the disbandmenl of the rille 
cor])s no military compan\- was organ- 
ized until the Pawtucket I^ight (iuard 
was foruK-d in .\ugusl, 1857. The first 
olficers were : ."Stephen R. lUlcklin, col- 
onel : William R. Walker, lieutenant 
colonel: Jnhn P. .\rlin, major; King- 



A RECENT VIEW OF PAWTUC 



PAW T U C K !•: T WAT I- R W o R k S . 




BBOTT RUN. 



ILLUSTRATED IIISToRV o I'" I'AW T U C K !■; T, 



iiKui lirrtt, cajitaiii ; Ceorst- S. I'ales, 
liculciuuit ; I'aicinii Nhisoii, urik-vlv scr- 
,L;(.-anl. An arni(ir\- was c-n.-ctcd in 1859, 
on the- (.■(iiiiev iit Ivxcliaii^x- and High 
streets, was nsecl during the rehehinn lor 
enlistments and war nieetin.>;s anil conlin- 
ued to he a drill liall lor the C.uard nntil 
the organization was dishanded Oi't. 11, 
1875. This hnilding was alwa>s known 
as the Arniorx', is still standing, but has 
lieeu converted to Imsiness nses. Among 
the well-known citizens who have com- 
manded the Light (lUard were Olney 
Arnold, William R. Walker, Horace 
Daniels and Robert .McCloy. 

In .Vpril, iS(ii, more than eight\- out 
of one hundred niendiers of the I'awtucket 
Light ( lUard went to the front as company 
K of the I'irsl Regiment Rhode Lsland 
Detached Militia. Company H, of the 
Ninth Rhode Island \'olunteers, which 
went to the front in 1.S62, was also com- 
])osed of mend)ers ol the Light (".uard, 
andllenrx !•". Jenks was ca])tain. During 
the war of the rebellion thirteen com- 
panies were raised in the two villages of 
I'awtucket. and man\ citizens enlisted in 
regiments from Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 
A curious complii-ation arose when I'awlncket, 
Mass., was annexed to Rhode Island, March 1, 
1862, as the soldiers from the east side who had 
enlisted as citizens of Massachusetts in Massa- 
chusetts companies found themselves citizens of 
Rliode Island in Massachusetts comjianies, and 
therel)_\- lost the state aitl for their families. 
Late in Ma\-, iSf>i, the Home Light Cnard was 
organized, and Jacob Dunnell was elected 
caiitain. 

May 23, 1864, a light battery was (M'gan- 
ized and was named in honor of Captain Le\i 
Tower, who was killed at the battle of I'.ull 




ither 



G£ORGE WEATHERHEAD, 

Run while in t-onnnand of a body of I'awtucket 
men, Com])an\- h", in the .Second Rhode Islauil 
X'olunleers. As there was not sniTicient room 
in the Armory on High street, the battery pur- 
chased in 1SO5 the I'niversalist church on 
ICxchange street and converted it into an head- 
(piarters. I'"or many years this armory was 
known as Battery hall and then as Infantry 
hall. Ajiril 24, i8'iy, when the I'awtucket 
turnpike was made a free road, a celebration 
was lield at the old toll house and the Tower 
Ught liatterv fired a saluti' of twenty fue guns. 
The battery was reorganized 1)\' act of the 
legislature at the Ma\' session, iSj'^, and in 
i8j5 it became Company I! of the I'irst 






I 4Ai 




1 1 I' I 



VIEWS OF THREAD FACTORIES OF J. & P. COATS, LIMITED. 

ACTURING CO., WEEDEN STREET. 2, FROM HOUSE, CORNER OF CARPENTER 



4- "^nl 



3 FROM TOP OF 



1 1, LU. ST RATI'. I) HISTORY OK PAWTUCKKT. 



l!atlali<in (it l.i.ulil Arlilk-n . Il was changc-d 
from an artilk-ry to an infantr\- company on llic 
reorganization ot i1k- militia April S, iSjij, was 
known temporarils as "tlu- nnattacliL-d companx- 
of infantr\-, K. I. M.," hut soon rcsiimcil tin.- 
old name, amc-ndud to the Towc-r Liglit Infan- 
tr\-, and under that title has since continued in 
existence. Samuel vS. Coll\er was the first 
connnauder in 1.S64. Oilhert ii. Dana in 1S65, 
Lyman R. Goff from 1S72 to 1875, Benjamin P.. 
Perkins from Ma>- to September 1875, Edward 
Tha\er from Sejitendier 1S75 to A]iril 1S76, 
hUigeue Crocker from y.S7() until 
it was changed to an infantry 
comi)any. Charles Rittman was 
apjiointed its first captain as an 
infantr\- company, Jidy 22, 
1.S71J. The present oiTicers are : 
Cajjtain, William McGregor ; 
first lieutenant. IIeur\- A. Mor- 
ris : second lieutenant, Fred. 
W. Tibl)etts. Infantry hall is 
now state property and is occu- 
])ied at a nominal rent In' 
Tower Post, No. 17, G. A.R., 
whii'h was organized April 11, 

, V- I ROBERT 

I. -1/4. 

The North Providence and 
Pawtucket Cavalry Com]Kui\- was organized for 
home defence vSept. 23, 1S63, but the name was 
changed to the Pawtucket Horse Ciuards in 
1 868. The membership was composed of men 
from both sides of the river, and the first officers 
\vere, Charles N. Manchester, ca[)tain ; William 
Cou])e, first lieutenant ; hjuor Whipple, second 
lieutenant. Se])t. 23, 188S, the organization 
celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary. The 
company still continues in existence and the 
pre.sent officers are : Captain, Edward F. Jones ; 
first lieutenant, Charles Allenson ; second lieu- 
tenant, Nathaniel Dexter. 




Tlu- Smithfield I'nion Guard of Central 
Falls was organized as a companv Ma\' 2, 1863, 
with tile following officers : I.Nsander I'lagg, 
captain; Statfiud W. Razee, first lieutenant; 
James X. Woodard, second lieutenant: Fdward 
L. I'"reemau, clerk. In iSfid the ciimpan\ was 
made into a skeleton regiment. The first 
officers were, I,\sander h'lagg, colonel ; James 
N. Woodard, lieutenant colonel ; George F\ 
Crowninshield, major; Edward L. iMceman, 
captain; Dana L. Fales, first lieutenant: Dr. 
A. A. Mann, surgeon; Rew G. II. .Miner, 
chaplain, with a full list of 
non-commissioned officers. The 
company was for several years 
one of the crack organizations 
of the state, but on the pass- 
age of a new militia law in 1875 
the company voted to disliand. 
The officers at that time were 
Ivdward L. Freeman, colonel; 
James M. Davis, lieutenant col- 
onel ; Charles P. Moies, major ; 
Robert A. Robertson, cajitain ; 
William II. Ouinn, first lien- 
tenant : C. h'red Crawford, ad- 
jutant. 

Pawtucket now has two 
comjianies in the Rhode Island militia. Tower 
Light Infantrw Compan\- II, h'irst Infantry 
Regiment, and Pawtucket Horse (Uiards, 
Comi)an\- A, I'irst Battalion Cavalry ; and 
Central Falls has one. Company G, vSecond Regi- 
ment ln(autr\-. The officers of Com|ian\- C, are : 
John C. Lythgoe, captain: John M. Phillips, 
first lieutenant : James IC. Gorman, .second 
lieutenant. The I'irst P.attalion of Ca\alry 
is also in Pawtucket, and is under i_onun:in(l of 
Major Alexander Strau.ss. These organizations 
all have their head(iuarters at the new vState 
ArmiH'N-, one ol tlie most imposing structures in 



K. MA'KILLOP, 

VILLMARTH & MACKILLOP. 




ALFRED H. LITTLEFIELD, 

GOVERNOR OF RHODE ISLAND 1880-3 



THI.; \-KTKKAN FIRKMI-N 

the city, M-l,icl> is situatcl on the corner of Kxchanoe and 
I'ountan, streets on the east side, overlooking, the Hlackstone 
nver. \\ ,th its two casteUate.l towers and its hattle.nents it 
looks hke a n,e,li;eval castle. It was dedicated Jnne ,., ,,s<,s 
l>y a hall at which n.any of the military and civic notables of 
the town and state were present. 

\\-ith the organization of the permanent the .lepartn.ent in 
1870 under chief Samuel S. Collyer, the volunteer firemen were 
supenseded. The old hand engines had been supplanted bv 
the steam fire engines a few years before. William Jeffers built 
a .steam fire engine for Pawtucket in 1S63, which was first tried 
Sept. 4 of that year. This engine, known as the Monitor, is 
stdl in connnission and is located at Xo. 3 Engine station, Pros- 
pect street. In the course of 
time the men who had "run 
with the machine" in their 
>-outh began to feel that it 
would be a good thing to ha\-e 
an organization to perpetuate 
old memories, and revive the 
spirit, in a mea.sure, of the 
ancient comradeship. This 
impulse seems to have been felt 
.sinuiltaueously in manv of the 
New England cities, and vet- 
eran firemen associations were 



223 






CHARLES A. BOWEN, 

OF BOWEN BROS. 



LEROY E. BOWEN, 

OF BOWEN BROS. 

organized in many j)laces. 
The old hand engines were 
Ininted uji, put in condition, 
and trials of their powers as 
water throwers were made. 
The as.sociations in various 
place soon began to be emulous 
of the merits of their respective 
machines, and eventually con- 
tests were arranged, at first 
between the machines in local- 
ities adjacent to each other; 
but the interest in the matter 
.spread until now the trials of 
the nid iKuul engines have developed ahnost into a regular 
sport, a New England States \-eieran Firemen's Lea-ue has 
been formed, and the annual nu.ster is an event of importance. 
The first league n.u.ster was held Sept. 14, ,,Sg,, at Lowell, Mass 
The Pawtucket \-eteran Firen.en's Association was or<.an- 
i/.ed July 27, i.SSS. The nuichine in use in the contests is known 
as the "Hay Cart," was built by Bates of Philadelphia in 1S44 
reconstructed b^• Willian, Jeffers in 1.S48. and was for manv vears 
the mo.st valued engine on the ea.st si<le. It was .sohl to the 
town of Westerly after the stean,ers can,e into use in Pawtucket 
an.l was purchased from that town bv the association soon after 
the organization was forine<l. The " Hav Cart" has been 



NATHAN BOWEN, 

OF BOWEN BROS 



I LH'S'P R A'lM-; I) 



STORV Ol' I'AWTl'CKKT. 



ill iiiiiL'tceii imistt-rs, has won f(uiit(.'i.'ii ])ri/cs, 
amounting" to Si ,6o<-) ill cash aiiil a sihxr walc-r 
servicf valued at Sj5i>. The l)it;,m-st jihiv the 
association c\cr made with llie oUl machine 
was 226 feet 4'_' inches, llirough _V3'^ f'-'ft of 
hose, in l'ro\-idence, Jnl\- 4, i.s<)i. The associ- 
ation pnrchased the ohl town hall and the old 
Free Haptist meeting' house from the cit\' of 
Pawtucket, Dec. ."^o, iSiji, hnt sold the meeting 
house to the I'nioii Iiaptist church, Ma\', 1^93. 
The town hall, which was built late in 1S45 at 
a cost of $5,000, was used for nian\' \ears as a 
fire station. Its walls are now covered with 
many mementos of the volunteer fire ser\ice, 
and in its rooms the \eterans gather nighth as 
at a clul). The membership at present is about 
275. The ])resent officers of the association 
are : President, John H. Davis ; vice-president. 
Charles F. Luther; recording .secretary, James 
K. McXiilt>- ; treasurer, George C. Cates : 
financial secretary, Jonathan S. Caprou : 
auditor, I{varts C. Tyler; directors, Haxter 
H. Studlev, Joshua Lothrop ; foreman, Michael 
McGowan ; first assistant foreman, Hlhanan 
Mowry ; second assistant foreman, Martin 
Noonan ; hose director, James Mills ; first 
])ipeman, John Ryan ; second i)i])eman, William 
J. Daggett; delegate to New luigland .States 
League for two years, John II. Da\is. 

The Central P'alls \'eteraii Firemen's Asso- 
ciation was organized Oct. 6, iSgo, and char- 
tered March 24, iSyi, and )io\\ has ifm mem- 
bers. The machine isknownasthe " X'olunteer," 
and was built for South Daiuers. now Peaboih-, 
Mass., in 1.S54, by I,. lUitton ^c Co., and 
rebuilt in i860 by lUitlon ^i lilake. It was 
jnircliased in May, 1891, from Derry, X. H., 
where it had been in service six years, ha\ ing 
been bought from Peaboch' when that town ])ut 
in water works. While in ser\ice at l'eabod\ 
it won seven prizes at different musters. With 



this machine the associ.ation has won twelve ])rizes 
at fifteen musters, three first ])ri/.es, one second, 
four third, one fourth, twn fillh and the ]irize 
for the best a])]>earing compan\ at the muste-r of 
the New IvnglaiKl .States League at New ]5ed- 
ford, .Mass., Aug. 19, iSy6. At the six league 
musters the " \'oluiiteer" has taken thelead, and 
has a\erage(l a ])la\' of 1S7 feet 8 inches. 'I'Ik- 
Pawtucket " Ha>- Cart" comes next, with an 
a\'erage of 185 feet 7 inches. The best record 
of the " \'olunteer " was 209 feet i inch, made at 
Lowell, Mass., .Sejit. 14, 1891. The officers of 
the association are : President, C. Fred Craw- 
ford : vice-presidents, Charles T. Gooding, lul- 
ward A. I)w>er, John P>ootli, George Gosling, 
Charles D. Wood, hMwiu Clarkson ; recording 
secretary, 1^. Frank Howeii : financial secretary, 
Nathaniel T. Hrown : treasurer, A. Kverett 
Dunham ; Ijoard of directors, Charles A. Re>'- 
nolds, Jethro Baker, Daniel Gra>', Charles P. 
Baker, Francis J. Frost ; delegate to the New 
liiigland .States League, John W. Barber ; alter- 
nate, Andrew J. Patt ; foreman, Jfihn W. Bar- 
ber: first assistant foreman, Fred .S. Binford ; 
second assistant foreman, Albert F. Babl)itt. 

In the community there are many .social, 
literary, patriotic, church, and other clubs: two 
Grand Army posts — Tower Post in Pawtucket 
and Ballon Post in Central Falls: a number of 
labor unions in which the skilled meclianics of 
the place fraternize : and the athleticallx in- 
clined have the Pawtucket lioat club and 
\-arions c\cle clubs. The chief charitable insti- 
tution is the Home for the Aged Poor, at 964 
Main .street, which is a large and imi)osiiig three- 
story brick structure, erected through the liberal- 
ilN" of Joseph Baniganof Proxidence. The build- 
ing was dedicated May 29, 1884. The home is in 
charge of the Roman Catholic order of Little 
.Sisters of the Poor, who began their work in 
Rhode Island in March, 1881. The Pawtucket 



THK PAWTUCK I'T I'O STO I- H I C H . 



Day Nurscrx- is a wortliv cliarit\-, willi two 
homes lor children, one on Capital street on the 
west side and the other on School street on the 
east side. In fact the organizing and social 
spirit of the age has found full scope in Paw- 
tucket, and the opportunities to "belong" to 
some societN' are unexcelled. 

A ])0st office was established at " Paw- 
tucket Falls," Rhode Island, Jan. 22, 1807. 
Otis Tiffany was the first po.stmaster, and 
he gave a bond of S.soo. Jul\- 5, 1.S19, he 
renewed his bond for Siooo, and libenezer 
Tiffany and vSanuiel Slater 
were his sureties. At that 
date the word "Falls" was 
dropped from the name of the 
ofRce, which was thereafter 
known as "Pawtucket." 
Mr. Tiffan\- renewed his 
bond again tor Siooo, Jan. 
28, 1826, and Timothy 
Greene with libenezer Tiff- 
an\- were his bondsmen. 
There is a tradition that Dr. 
Humphrey, whose house 
stood on Main street, about 
where No. 250 is at preisent, 
was postmaster in the fir.st 
years of the centurw 

According to the national post office 
records* Otis Tiffany was postmaster 24 years, 
10 months and 7 days, and was succeeded bv 
Rev. Dr. David Benedict, Nov. 29, 1831, whose 
bond was S3000, and his sureties were I'riah 
Benedict and vSte]ihen Benedict. He renewed 
his bond for the same sum, with the same 
sureties, June 15, 1837. This was occasioned 
by the fire in December, 1836, which destro\ ed 
the books of the Post Office Department at 

♦Gazftle and Chronicle, Oct. 15, 1875. 




HERBERT O. TRUE, M. 



W'ashinglon and made it necessary for all the 
postmasters in the Fnited .States to renew their 
obligations. 

Frederick A. .Sunnier succeeded Dr. Bene- 
<lict No\-. 14, 1844, and was postmaster until 
Feb. 26, i84y, when Dr. Benedict was again 
ajipointed, but he was succeeded twenty days 
after the date of this connnission, by Thomas 
Lep-avour, March 20, 1849. Joseph T. .Si.sson 
was appointed April 18, 1853, and was suc- 
ceeded by Charles A. Leonard, March 24, 1858. 
Charles Iv. Chickering was appointed May 28, 
1861, and served until July 
12, 1865, when lulwin A. 
Perrin became postmaster 
and held the office until the 
appointment of his successor, 
Isaac R. Wilkinson, .\pril 25, 
1887. Mr. Wilkinson was 
succeeded by the present 
postmaster, Almon K. (Good- 
win, Oct. 31, 1 .892. 

The first headquarters of 
the po.st office were in Otis 
Tiffany's inn, which stood on 
Main street on the site after- 
wards occupied by the Le- 
Favour Ijlock, on part of the 
space which at present forms 
the beginning of Hi.gh street. Subsequently 
Mr. Tiffany and Nathaniel Croade erected 
the building on the op]iosite side of Main 
street, at Nos. 214 and 216, and into the 
east end of this structure, the ([uarters now 
occupied by Dr. C. V,. Davis & .Son's drug 
store, the office was remo\-ed. Another removal 
was made during Mr. Tiffany's term to the 
store in the Dr. Johnson Gardner building, cor- 
ner of High and Main streets, now occupied by 
K. L. I-'reeman iS: Sons, where it remained sev- 
eral years, luich postmaster on his appointment 



ILLUSTRA'Pl".!) IllSTokV ( ) !• I'AWT T C K HT. 



usuallN' Iransfcrrt'd tin.' office l" anotluT location 
than that which his picilci-cssor had octaipic'il. 
Dr. Benedict removed the olTice to tlie store now 
occupied by Francis J. Phillips, drua;gist, 1S3 
Main street, and afterwards transferred it suc- 
cessi\-el\- to what is now 14 Mast a\enne and to 
the jireinises now occnpied \)\ Dennis !•'. .McCal- 
frey's shoe store in the Dorrance buildinj;, cor- 
ner Main and North Main streets. In this latter 
location it remained dnrins; the incuml)enc\ of 
Mr. Sumner and Mr. LeFaxour. .Mr. Sisson 
remoxed the office to what is now 27 F^ast avenue, 
and Mr. Leonard transferred it to the old wooden 
Miller huildinj;, which stood on the site of the 
pre.sent Miller buildino, corner of Main and 
North Main streets. From thence it was remo\eil 
by Mr. Perrin, Oct. 7, 1S65, to the most northerl)- 
store in the Manchester block. North Main 
.street. Di that location it remained until Oct. 
9, 1S75, when it was removed to the Dexter 
buildino;, where it has continued since. 

The Pawtucket post oflice had always been 
on the Rhode Island side of the river and was 
in tile town of Nf)rth Providence until the con- 
solidation in 1S74. Mr. Perrin was the first 
postma.ster who was a citizen of the town of 
Pawtucket. Under his administration Paw- 
tucket became a mone\- onler office Aug. i, 
i866, the first order bein>; dated Aug. 6. 
The free delivery s)\steui, which went into 
effect Oct. 2, 18S2, was introduced mainl\ 
through his efforts. The population in iS.So 
was only 19. "3". and 20,000 was the legal limit : 
but Mr. Perrin -went onto Washington and by 
demonstrating to the authorities by means of 
affidavits from leading manufacturers that sev- 
eral large mills soon to be erected would 
assuredly add about ,i,"oo to the jjopulatioii, 
he succeeded in securing the system for Paw- 
tucket. Mr. Perrin .served as jjostmaster tor 
twenty-two years, the longest term of any other 



inciimbent o( the office, excejjt Otis Tiffany, 
lie entered the office as a I'lerk under Josc-ph 
T. Sisson, continued as such lor nine \ears, 
when, without solicitation, and to his own sur- 
])rise, he was a])])oiiited to the jiosition. Tliis 
was a good e.xamjile of ci\-il ,ser\-ice reform in 
promoting a subordinate l)Ut experienced otTicial 
to a leading place ; but its results proved its 
wisdom, as the office was administered on a 
business basis and Mr. Perrin was reap])ointed 
lour times. Ma>- (\ i^iy.i, soon after Mr. 
Goodwin assumed control, the office was classi- 
fied under the cixil service rules, and July 
I, iSg6, it became a first-class office, having 
attained to the recpiired limit of a business of 
$40,000 per annum. 

A fine post office building is a certaiiit>- in 
the future. The plans ha\e been prepared and 
$75,000 appropriatetl b>- the United States gov- 
ernment for the erection of the building, which 
is to lie located on the corner of High and 
.Summer streets, opposite the First Bai)tist 
church. Probabh' before the end of the cen- 
tury the building will be finished and in use. 

From iJ^74 to iSy,^ the church building 
erected 1)\- the High vSlreet Hajitist societ>- on 
High, near ICxchange street, was the town and 
city high school. The High Street Baptist 
society dales back to the early '."v's, when it 
jnirchased the edifice which had been erected 
by the F'ir.st ITniversalist sociel\' in 1S27. Dur- 
ing a ])ortion of its historv, it became known as 
the Second Bajitist church, but 011 account 
]irobabl\' of its ])roximit\- to the old church, ol 
which it was originally an offshoot, it seems to 
ha\e been a feeble parish, changing its ministers 
fre(pientl\- and fiiidiiig it difficult to meet ex- 
jieiises. The church building was destroyed b\' 
fire Jan. 25, 1S6.S. .A new edifice was soon 
erected, but on account of the financial em- 
barassment of the societ\-, it was sold to the 




DANIEL G. LITTLEFIELD 

LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF RHODE ISLAND, 



PKOPOSED SLATER MOXI'MEXT. 



227 



tounin ,S;4. The church afterwards worsliipped in Maso„icl,aIi, 
X.n-th Main street, and n, Railroad hall, lin.ad .street, and 
was hnally rcor.ani/ed under the name nl the Calvarv Baptist 
society. The old church edifice had become so dilapidated that 
in i,S93 it vvas i,ron<..uuced unsafe lor longer use for school 
purposes. The high school was then for a time kept in the 
rooms of the Voung Men's Christian Association, and at 
the opening of the spring term, ,894. was transferred to 
the Garden street grammar .school. During iSys aiul ,,S./, 
the old High street grammar .school and the Greene huihli,,,. 
adjoining furni.shed rather inconvenient quarters. Mean^ 
while the erection of a new high .school was begun earlv in 
189.S, oil corner Hn.adwav. lilackstone avenue and h-ounUun 
.street, and was cnnpleted 
and read\- for occupanc\- at ' 

the beginning of the .school 
year in iSgS. The building 
is an impo.sing looking edi- 
fice, three .stories in height, 
and is constructed of light- 
colored brick, with sandstone 
trimmiugs. 

A soldiers and sailors 
monument, erected by the 
town of Lincoln in the .M.is- 
hassuck cemetery, C e n t r a I 
Falls, was dedicated by Ballon 




HENRY E. WATJEN, 

ESTATE AND INSURANCE AGENT. 





JAMES ANOERTON, 

SUPEBINTENOENT HOME BUILDir 



Lost, (',. A. R., May ;,o. 1888, 
and orations were delivered b\- 
Ansel D. Nickerson and Ed- 
ward L. Freeman. The monu- 
ment consi.sts of the figure of 
a soldier .seven feet high stand- 
ing on a columnar jjcdestal 
tweh-e feet high. The monu- 
ment is made of white \A'e.st- 
erly granite and cost S4.000. 
Henry F. Jenks, who sug- 
gested at a meeting of the 
Pawtucket fJusiness Men's 
Association, Eeb. i, 1S86, the 
idea of obser\-ing the centenary of the introduction of cotton 
sjunning which culminated in the celebration of 1890, also 
advocated on the same occasion the erection of a monument to 
.Samuel Slater as the central feature of the centenary. V,x-vUms 
to the celebration, which was carried on sub.stantiallv on the 
lines proposed by Mr. Jenks, he exhibited, as a suggestion, a 
colored drawing he had designed of a monument' nine feet 
square at the ba.se and nineteen feet in height, with a bronze 
figure .seven feet in height of Samuel Slater on the top. On 
the different faces of the base were representations of machinery 
in relief, a cotton plant ami suitable inscriptions. The matter 
receive.l favorable attentinu both from the citv council and 



WALTER M. ROBBiNS, 

NCIAL MANAGER HOME 8UILDIN 



II.Ll' STRATI' I) II I STORY () l' P AW Tl' C K I';T. 



(roin the HusiiK'Ss Men's Association late in 
1S90, hut interest gradually alrated and tile 
project fell throui^h for the time lieini;. The 
coniiuittee of the Business Men's Association on 
the Slater Memorial is, however, still in exist- 
ence, has some funds in its possession, anil there 
is a probahilitv' that the project nKi\- he re\i\'ed 
in the future. 

Pawtucket is assured of a soldiers' monu- 
ment which will undouhtedlv" he an ornament 
to the cit\'. The project for its erection grew 
out of action taken at a nieeting of Tower Po.st. 
June 14, 1SS6, when a vote 
was ])assed recommending 
that a soldiers' memorial 
huiUling^ he erected in Paw- 
tucket. At first the idea was 
favorahly received and con- 
siderahle .sums of money were 
pledged conditionallxhy lead- 
ing citizens. The leading 
ladies of the cit\- decided to 
assist the drand Arnn- men 
in arising funds. The\ held a 
preliminary meeting. Oct. 21, 
18S6, and on Oct. 25, at the 
Bu.siness Men's rooms the 
Ladies' Memorial Association 
was organized with Mrs. James L.Wheaton. presi- 
dent; Mrs. P'rederick C. vSayles, vice-president; 
Mrs. Minerva ^\.. Sanders, secretary; and Mrs. 
Darius L. Goff, treasurer. Money was raised 
by the association from receptions at houses, 
concerts and entertainments of various sorts. 
The ' ■ Hazar of All Nations," an elaborate inilus 
trial and art exposition, held in Music hall from 
P'eb. I to II, 18S7, netted over $6,000, and the 
"Winter Garden," also located in Music hall 
from Jan. 30 to P'el). 5, uSS.S, realized nearly 
$2,000. By these various means u]i to I'ehru- 
ary, 1896, considerably over $12,000 had been 




CHARLEb E. PEftVEAR 

ENT AMERICAN HAIR ClOTH C 



accumulated, which b\ the end of the year it 
was calculaleil would amount to #i,s.ooo. 

.Meanwhile the idea of a memorial building 
luul long been abandoned, and the Ladies' 
Memorial Association decided to e.x])end the 
monev instead for the erection of a monument. 
Accordingl\', after a competition, the association 
in March, 1896, commissioned W . Gran\ille 
Hastings, a sculptor of Pro\idence, R. I..t<. 
execute a memorial at a cost of Si.vooo. Mr. 
Hastings is a pujiil of Jules Dalou of Paris, and 
of the Roval Academ>-, London, and is a mem- 
ber of the N. vS. vS. of America. 
The ilesign is an allegori- 
cal representation of " Liberty 
Arming the Patriot." and 
consists of two bronze figures 
on a granite pedestal. Liberty 
is represented as a tall, maje.stic 
woman, robed inhea\-y drajier- 
ies, which falling in broad 
simjile folds give great dignit\- 
and be;uit>- to the figure. The 
Patriot is represented as a tiller 
of the soil; his left hand rest.s 
upon the plough, whit'h he is 
leaving, while with the right 
he grasps the sword extended 
Libert)-. The grotij) is eleven 
feet in height, and Liberty towers above 
the Patriot. The figures are to he placed 
on a pedestal about ele\-eu feet in height, 
upon the front disc of which is a has relief in 
bronze of a 1)attle scene. The sides of the 
])edestal curve outward and are surmounted by 
bronze lamps, and in the spandril thus formed 
are two ])auels in bronze, the one on the right 
being a figure t>pical of Iv])ic poetrw while that 
on the left represents Lternily. The contract 
calls for the finishing of the nu)nunieut b> March, 
1S9.S, but Mr. Hastings hojies to have it ready 



to him 





ALBERT FROST, 



OLIVIER MICLETTE, 
GROCER. 





STUART BASTOW, 



^ 

^^w*^ 



J^ 



^f^ 




BERNARD LENNON, 
COUNCILMAN SECOND WARD, 188 



EDWARD M. LANE M. L. 



2^0 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



for uiivcilini; on DfCoratimi Da\', i''^97. 
Prol)al)l\' the luomiiiRiit will ]k- ])lace(l 
in Wilkinson park. The- cil\ conncil, 
A]iiil -'9, iXg6, a)i])ni|)iiati--(l Si.iind inr 
llic hniklint;' of a lonndalion. 

I'awtucket was not proviilt-d with 
an>- ix't;nlar theatrical entertainment 
nntil the erection of the (^pera Honse, 
rear of liroatl street, near Main street, 
December, iSyj. I'rex'ious to that time 
theatrical and operatic exhibitions were 
held in Mnsic Hall. Before the erection 
of Mnsic Hall in iSSo someone of the 
small halls then in use was occasionall\ 
the scene of a performance. The prox- 
imity of Providence and the facility of 
gettins;- there and back by train or street 
cars ])revented the earlier de\-elopment 
of a theatre here. This condition of 
things still prevails and operates to nul- 
lify a demand for any but the common- 
est and least e.xpensi\-e forms of popular 
theatrical entertaiinnent. 

The cit>' of I'awtucket has now- 
emerged into the full measure of inde- 
pendent municipal life. She is pro- 
\-ided with all the essentials for 
corporate housekeeping, — a fine water su])])ly, 
a good sewer system, and an efficient fire de- 
partment ; her streets are well laid out, and her 
local transportation facilities are adequate to the 
necessities of the people ; the intellectual, social 
and moral wants of the citizens are provided for 
in the churches, schools and societies that 
abound ; in material affairs ])rosperit\' reigns as 




JOHN E. THOMPSON, 



far as general conditions \\in ])ermit, and tlie 
di\'ersit>' of industry is a safeguard against wide- 
spread disaster. I'nderall these conditions, it is 
evidently the destiny of Pawtucket to go on devel- 
oping, slowI\- but surely, as she has in the past, 
continuing in the footsteps of the pioneers, me- 
chanics, and men of toil-hardened hands, whose 
labor has made the communit\' of lo-da\ what it is. 



BIOGRAPHIES OF PROMINENT CITIZENS. 



When the (iazct/c and Cliroiiic/c' s Ilhistrated Histor\- of Pawtucket, Central Falls and \'iciiiity. 
was projected the intention of the puljlishers was to embody elaborate biograpliical details of the old 
and proniinent families in the communitw As the work progressed, however, it was found, because 
of the great industrial changes which had occurred in the evolution of Pawtucket, and the changing 
character of the population thereby brought about, that strict adherence to the original plan was not 
advisable. Still, in a measure, that method has been adhered to, — at lea.st to the extent of publishing 
full genealogical details of many families and individuals prominent in the old towns of Rehoboth 
and North Providence. In adilition, man>- biographies liave been introduced of men whose families 
have had no lengthy historical connection with the neighborhood, although they themselves have 
aided materially in the recent industrial expansion of the Greater Pawtucket. 

Biography has justly been said to contain the essence of hi.story. In the following pages the 
narrati\-es of the achie\-ements of the men who in the ])ast and in the present ha\-e made Pawtucket 
what it is, contain a history of the cit\' aljouniling in tletail. The sketches thereby form a fitting 
.seijuel to the consecuti\-e historical account which forms the first part of this volume. 



ADAMS, John A., tlie .son of Ezra and 
Susan (Aylsworth), was born in North Kings- 
town, R. I., June 20, 1.S15, and died at Central 
Falls, R. I., Ma}- 24, 1892. When seven years 
of age his father, who was a .seafaring man, died 
on the Island of Trinidad, without leaving any 
means for the support of his family. Under 
these circumstances, John was forced to seek 
employment at an early age, and from his 
twelfth to his .seventeenth year worked on a 
farm, de\i)ting his spare time to education, and 
a\'ailing himself of all the instruction he could 



secure in the neighborhooil. In 1S32 he removed 
to Franklin, Mass., and was employed in a fac- 
tory store as clerk for one year. When eighteen 
3"ears of age he obtained work as an operati\e 
in a factory and was .steadily promotetl until he 
became overseer. In 1837 he removed to Central 
Falls, where his sagacity and skill attracted the 
attention of a capitalist with whom he formed a 
co-partnership in 1S42 for the manufacture of 
3-arns and thread under the firm of Willard & 
Adams. At the expiration of three years the 
partnershi]) was di.ssohed, antl Mr. Adams 



ILLUSTKATKD HISTORY OK P AWTUC K I' T. 



Ix-'caiiiL- :issociati.-il with Joseph Wood and 
others in the niannlactnre ol cotton snoods. In 
iS4,S. alter the death ol two of the partners, the 
hnsiness was continned in the name of Wood 6c 
Adams. In 1S6;; tliese gentlemen sold their 
mill and i)ri\ile.i;e to the Pawtucket Hair Cloth 
Company. They afterwards succeeded to the 
business ])reviously carried on by Rnfns J. 
.Stafford, and, in conjunction with other stock- 
holders, <)rL;ani/ed the Stafford Manufacturing 
Company. During Mr. Wood's life, Mr. Adams 
acted as agent for the corporation, and part of 
the time as president. On Mr. Wood's death 
in iHj,'^, Mr. Adams being tlie onl\- actix'e stock- 
holder assumed, with his other duties, tho.se of 
treasurer, and held these otTices until his death. 
Mr. Adams was interested in other estabiish- 
ments, and intimately associated in bu.sine.ss 
undertakings with prominent merchants and 
manufacturers of Providence, l-'or many years 
he was a trustee of the Franklin Savings Bank 
and a ilirector of the Slater National Bank, 
Pawtucket. He .served six years as a member 
of the town council of Lincoln, three >ears of 
which time he was its ])resident, and frecjuently 
represented the town in both branches of the 
General Assembly. For many years he wa.s a 
school trustee. FVoni 1S4S until his death he 
was a member of the Central Falls Congrega- 
tional church. He was married in 1.S36 to 
Sall\- M., daugliter of Nathan and Anna 
Crowell of Yarmouth, Mass. The>- had eight 
children, only two of whom, Jolin V., and 
Stephen L., are living. Their oldest son, 
Albert K., was in the Union Army during the 
late war, and died at home from disease con- 
tracted in the service. 

ADAMS, John F., the second child of John 
and vSally (Crowell) Adams, was born in Cen- 
tral Falls, R. I., Dec. [7, 1S3S. He attended 
the grammar school of his native place, and 
was graduated from the Pawtucket high school. 
Hi.s first occupation was that of clerk in the 
Slater National Bank of Pawtucket, and then he 
became a bookkeeper for the Allendale Companj' 
of Providence. Returning to Pawtucket in 
1862, he entered into partnership with a Mr. 
Randall for the manufacture of cotton goods 



under the lirm name ol Adams &. Randall. In 
1S64 he ])uichased the Fanesville Manufacturing 
Com])any's ]ilant and property at lyanesville, 
Mass., and dexoted much time to its develop- 
ment. The name of the village has since been 
changed to Adamsdale 1)\- a popular \-ote. in 
recognition of the many services rendered to it 
by Mr. Adams. He succeeded his father as 
president and agent of the Stafford Manufactur- 
ing Company, which positions he now holds. 
L,ike his father he is deeply interested in ])ublic 
affairs, and has served the people in various 
positions. He was auditor, and member of the 
town council of Pawtucket before and for two 
years after the con.solidation, was a memlier of 
the board of aldermen in 1.S92 and 1.^9,1, and 
served nine years on the school board. Mr. 
Adams is a 32d degree Ma.son, a member of 
Barney Merry Lodge, Pawtucket Rc)>al Arch 
Chapter, Pawtucket Council, Holy ,Se]nilchre 
Commandery, K. T., and pa.st grand master of 
the Grand Council of Rhode Island. He is 
a Republican, a member of the Pawtucket 
Business Men's Associati(m, and of the Rhode 
Island Historical Society. He attends the 
Pawtucket Congregational Church. He is a 
skillful musician, plays both the organ and 
piano, has made compositions of merit, has 
been musical director for twent\-five years of 
the church choir, and has heUl like positions in 
Central Falls and Pro\idence. Dec. 28, 1862, 
he was married to Kate J., okle,st daughter of 
Rufus J. .Stafford of Central Falls, by which 
union he has four children : Rufus S., b. .Sejit. 
20, 1866; Mary E., b. Feb. 4, 1870; Herbert 
M., b. Nov. 10, 1872 ; John H., b. Feb. 22, 1S76. 
ADAHSON, Edward, the third child of 
John and Catherine (Moss) Adamson was born 
in Lancashire, England, Dec. 21, 1S42. He 
received his education in the schools of his 
native town and when fourteen years of age was 
apprenticed to a reed harness maker at Preston, 
where he remained for eleven years. In 1S67, 
believing that the United States offered a better 
field for advancement, he came to Providence, 
R. I., antl became manager for the Providence 
Reed & Harness Comjianw He then went to 
Danielsonville, Conn., l)ut relurnetl to the 



Bloc, R APPIIHS. 



233 



Providence compaii}-, and managed the business 
until 1879, when he accepted the position of 
manager of the loom reed department of Myron 
Fish & Co., at Valley Falls. While connected 
with this firm he greatly improved both the 
design and method of manufacturing loom reeds. 
He devised an impro\-ed loom reed, for which 
he .secured a patent. In i.ss;, lie organized the 
Excelsior Loom Reed Company, for the manu- 
facture of loom reeds. The ^•enture jiroved 
.succe.ssful and the proportions of the business 
has steadily increased. The works are located 
at 64 Broad street. Mr. Adamson was married 
to Ellen Worden of Lancashire, England, Aug. 
4, 1S63, and has six children: Kate, b. July 12, 
1864 ; Joseph, b. Dec. 24, 
1866 : Albert, 1). Danielson- 
ville, Cf)nn., April 14, 1S70; 
Mary, b. Danielsonville, 
Conn., Dec. 22, 1872: Celia, 
b. Providence, July 4, 1876: 
and Gertrude (decea.sed), b. 
Valley Falls, Dec. 23, 187S. 
The oldest son, Jo.seph, is the 
superintendent of the mechan- 
ical department in the loom 
reed works. 

ANDERTON, James, the 
olde-st child of Benjamin and 
Annie (Hyde) Anderton, was 
born in Pawtucket, Feb. i, 
1868. His parents were na- 
tives of luigland, but came 
to this country when young 
children. He attended the Pawtucket public 
schools until he was fourteen years old, 
and was then api)renticed to learn the 
carpenters' trade. In 1890 he established 
hnn.self in business as a contractor and 
builder, and in 1893 with others organized 
the Home Building Company of Pawtucket, 
of which corporation he is now superin- 
tendent. In politics Mr. Anderton is a 
Republican. He is a member of Enterprise 
Lodge, I. O. O. F. : Samuel Slater Lodge, 
Sons of St. George, and Moshassuck Tribe 
of Red Men. Mr. Anderton was married to 
Annie Farrow of Pawtucket, Mav 2^, 1888 



enjamin Al- 
b. May 22, 
and Albert 




and they have lour children, 
bert, 1). March 4, iSSy; Alice 
1891 : Annie, b. A])ril 16, 1893 
H., b. .March 16, i.sgs. 

ANDERTON, Joseph, son of John and 
Sarali (Wilkinson) Anderton, was l)orn in 
Pawtucket in 1846. For many generations the 
family lived at Sabden, Lancashire, England. 
The father of Jo.seph was a dyer in the textile 
mills owned by Richard Cobden. the great 
English free trade advocate, l)Ul he came to the 
United vStates in the '40s, and went to work in 
the Manchester printworks near the present 
village of Sayle.sville, which were then con- 
ducted l)y Theodore Scroeder. He .shortly 
after bought n farm in the 
nortlieastern ])art of Paw- 
tucket, adjoining the present 
Memorial park, and carried it 
on for the balance of his life. 
Joseph worked alternately on 
tlie farm and at the Dunnell 
printworks. In 1866 he 
learned the trade of a car- 
penter with Lewin, Kenyon 
e\: Drowl%. He then worked 
as a journexinan for French 
& McKenzie of Proxidence 
for six years, when he retired 
and lived quietl>- on the old 
homestead farm for several 
years. May 6, 1881, he was 
engaged by W. F. & }•'. C. 
Sayles as a carpenter, and has 
remained witli that finn ever since. He now 
has charge of the general con.struction of repairs 
and implements at the works. Many of the new 
additions have been constructed under his di- 
rection and he has seen the works grow from one 
small building to their present mammoth propor- 
tions. Mr. Anderton is a Republican. He was 
chosen to the city council from the third ward 
in 1891, was elected a member of the board of 
tax asse.s.sors in 1895 and still holds the position. 
He was married in 1871 to Mary Leferge of 
Dobb's Ferry, X. Y.. and they have three 
children : George C, now a Jiookkeeper in 
Providence: Ellery F., student: and Laura W. 



234 



I LLUvSTR ATl';i) IIISTOKV O I<" PAWT U C K ICT. 




JAMES H. ANDREW, 



ANDREW, James Harrison, was born in l'ni\i(lencc, I'V-li. 
14, i<S35, is a son of John and Ann (Harrisnni Andrew, ami IIk- 
fourth child in a faniil\- of five. His graiidlalher on his father's 
side was a Iriend and conijianion of Ro])ert Burns the ])oet, and 
l'"ales mill at A\r, of which his i;randfather was proprietor, is 
mentioned in one of Ihirns' jioems. flis father, John Andrew, 
who wa.s born in Ayrshire, Scotland, in iS(i4, and died in Provi- 
dence in 1846, came to the United States about iSjfi, and settled 
in Xew York city, where he only remained a short time. He 
then came to Providence and started in the hardware business. 
During the Dorr war he was an actix'e supporter of the popular 
cau.se, planted a cannon on Constitution hill to defend the 
interests of the Dorrites, and was one ol those arresteil and im- 
prisoned for takini; ])art in the affair. He married Ann Harri- 
son, who was born in London, England, in iSio, and died at 
the house of her .son James H., at Central Falls, Jan. 15, 1890. 
James H. received his education in the public schools of Provi- 
dence. In 1850 he went to work for the Providence Steam & 

(ias Pipe Company, and remained until 1857, when he came to Pawtucket and assumed charge 
of the manufacturing department of the Pawtucket Gas Company. He remained in this position 
until 1866 when he associated himself with Robert Alexander on Mill street in the steam and gas 
piping business. In 1871 he purchased Mr. Alexander's interest, and took David I,. Kales as a 
partner. They then bought the Rhode Island .Steam Heating Co., on East avenue, removed their 
original business to that establishment, and began operations under the name of the Pawtucket 
Steam & Gas Pipe Co. June, 1S90, the company was incorporated and still carries on business at 
the old location, 32 East avenue. Mr. Andrew has been president since the organization. He 
is a Republican, and has taken an active interest in local affairs in Central Falls, where he lives. 
He was a member of the Board of Firewards of the town of Lincoln for twenty years, and was 
its president for eight years ; was one of the town council tor seven years, and president two years ; 
and was sewer commissioner for two j-ears. He was one of the committee of seven which prepared 

the act incorporating the city of Central Falls. Mr. Andrew 
is a LTniversalist in religion. He is a Free Mason, a Knight 
Templar, is a member of the Mystic Shrine, Knights of Pythias, 
Knights of Honor, and of the American Mechanics. Jan. 24, 
1866, he married Robie A. F'ales of Central Falls, and three 
children are the i.ssue of the union, — James Everett, Maud F., 
and Marie h". 

ANDREW, James Everett, was l)orn in Central Falls, 
June 23, 1S6S. He attended the i)ublic schools ol his nati\e 
place until he was fourteen years old, when he spent one 
year in Br\-ant & .Stratton Business College, Providence. 
He then worked six years as stenographer for W. F. 6c 
1'". C. .Sayles, and at the end of that period entered the em- 
ployment of the Pawtucket Steam & Gas Pipe Co. When 
this concern was incorporated in i8go he was gi\en an 
interest in the corjsoration, and became secretary, which 
position he still holds. He is a Republican and has held 

J. EVERETT ANOREvV, , . . ,. . ,, . , ,,,,,. 

the position of citv autlilor ol Central Falls since the place 

SECRETARY PAWTUCKET STEAM & CAS PiPE CO. -^ - ^ 




i 



BIOnRAPIIIlCS. 



235 



became a city in 1S95. Mr. Andrew is a 
member of Harney Merry Lodge: Pawtuckel 
Royal Arcli Cliapter, No. 4, in which lie at 
])resent liolds the office of captain of the 
host : Pawtucket Council, Royal and Select 
Masters, in which he is now deputy master; 
Holy Sepulchre Commandery ; Providence Con- 
si.story: and Palestine Temple, Nobles of the 
Mystic Shrine. He was a.ssistant clerk in 
the old volunteer Pacific Engine Company 
until its organization as a jiaid department. 
Upon the formation of the Central Falls 
Veteran Firemen's Association he was elected 
its first secretary and was successively re- 
elected three times. He is a member of the 
Lincoln Republican club and the Forest club 
of- Central Falls and of the Fallstaff club 
of Providence. He was married to .Mary 
J. Hooth of Central Falls, and two cliildren 
are the issue of the union, John Percival, b. 
Nov, 9, iS9r, and Madalane Frances, 1). Sept. 
30, 1895. 

ANQELL, Stephen Dexter, tlie son of Cyrus 
and Sabra W. (Dexter) Angell, was born Nov. 
,S, 1.^42, in Cumberland, near the village of Lons- 
dale, on what is known as the Angell farm. He 
attended the public schools of Lonsdale until he 
was ten years old, when he went with his ]>ar- 
ents to Mendon, Ma.ss., and lived there on a 
farm until he was fourteen. He then left home, 
and went to live with Johnson Parkman, a 
retired cotton merchant, on his small farm at 
Milford, Ma.ss. He was married to Mr. Park- 
man's daughter Mary K., in 1S63, and continued 
to live in Milford until 1880, when he returned 
to Lonsdale and became a clerk in the gen- 
eral store of Baylies Bourne, the husband of 
his father's .sister Mahala. Mr. Bourne .sold out 
the grocery part of the business, but continued 
to conduct the dry goods and other departments. 
For a number of >ears, on account of the age 
and infirmities of Mr. Bourne, the business was 
managed by Mr. Angell, and on the death of 
Mr. Bourne lie pnrcha.sed the store from the 
heirs and has since carried it on. He has 
developed the business, carries a large and well 
cho.sen .stock of dry and fancy goods, boots, 
shoes, rubbers, furniture, etc., and employs five 



salespeople. Mr. Angell in politics is a Repub- 
lican. He is a member of Chri.st Epi.scopal 
Church, Lonsdale, and belongs to the Free 
Masons. He is a descendant in the .seventh 
generation from Thomas Angell, one of Roger 
Williams' five companions, who came in a canoe 
from Seekonk to settle Providence in 1636. 
Thomas Angell is suppo.sed to have been under 
age when he came to America and to have been 
at finst under the guardianship of Roger 
Williams and a member of his hou.sehold. 
He, however, in common with the other first 
.settlers received a "home lot" of si.x acres, 
and this lot was a part of the land on which 
the First Bapti.st church in Providence now 
stands. He had two sons and five daughters, 
and died in 1690. Thomas Angells descend- 
ants have alwa\-s been numerous in Rhode 
Island. They have been a strong, powerful 
race physically. Most of them have been 
farmers and .seafaring men, and main- have 
been distinguished. 

ARNOLD, Alexander Streeter, editor and 
publisher of the H'crNj /ottn/17/ ai Ventral Falls, 
now residing in Valley Falls, R. I., was born 
Sejit, 30, 1829, in Smithfield, about two miles 
south of Woonsocket. He is the son of Dr. 
Seth and Belinda (Streeter) Arnold. In 1858 
he was married to Eleanor J. Pierce of Woon- 
socket. At the age of .sixteen he left school 
and worked at wood turning : but he was not 
fitted for the trade, and, after a year's attendance 
at the Suffield seminary, taught school a couple 
of >ears. At the age of twenty-four he entered 
the People's Bank of Pawtucket, where he was 
employed ten years as bookkeeper, when he 
jnirchased the so-called Elsbree stable, but .soon 
sold out and entered the employ of the Paw- 
tucket Hair Cloth Co.. where he remained 
eleven years, five as bookeeper and six as super- 
intendent, at the end of which period his health 
became so impaired that he de.spaired of recovery 
and resigned his position, and for several >ears 
was unable to engage in any continuous active 
labor. Mr. Arnold had removed to \'alley Falls 
for the pnrpo.se of starting a Universali.st mis- 
-sion, which was inaugurated, in April, i860. 
The result is a successful church, also a sue- 



2^6 



ILLUSTRATI'I) lIISToRV OP P AWTU C K HT. 



cessfiil school, ol which he has been superin- 
temlciit iroiii its coinineiiceinent thirty years 
at;(i. The parish owns a church edifice especi- 
ally adapted to tlic needs of the members. Mr. 
Arnold is the author ol several books. His 
" Cliildren's Catechism " has reached a sale of 
15,011(1. His first stor\- books were " Tncle 
Timothy Taber, " and " Benson Family," both 
of which met with a ready sale and were soon out 
of print. His ne.xt book " Henry Lovell," a 
temjierance stor\-, met with a larger sale, while 
his late story, "Building to Win," jiublished 
by James H. Ivarle, Boston, bids fair to doulile 
the sale of the former three. 

ARNOLD, H. n. & Son.— The hack, livery 
and boarding stable, corner of Summer and 
North I'niou streets, is the largest establish- 
ment of its kind in Pawtucket. The building 
belongs to the firm of H. M. Arnold & Son, 
is a large brick structure, contains 176 
stalls, and was first occu]iied Ajjril 12, 1S92. 
Henry M. Arnold startetl in the liverv stable 
business in 1865 on the east side. In 1871 he 
bnilt a stable on Broad street between the Bene- 
dict house and the location of the present Taylor 
building, which he occupied until his removal 





HENRY M. ARNOLD, 
OF HENRY M. ARNOLD A SON 



FRANK H. ARNOLD 



to the firm's present quarters. His son Frank 
H. is now a member of the firm and is the active 
manager of the business. 

ARNOLD, Olney. The name of Arnold is 
one of the most ancient known in history. 
Thomas Arnold, the first American ancestor of 
Olney Arnold was born in 1599 in Cheselbourne, 
Dorsetshire, England, and came to America 
in the ship " Plain Joan " He settled at 
Watertown, Mass., in 1(135, where he married 
Phebe Parkhurst. Twenty-six years afterwards, 
in 1661, he came to Pro\'idence and bought 
land. As he pos.sessed talents which com- 
manded the respect of his fellow-citi/.ens, he 
was chosen for several years a member of the 
General Assembly. His son Richard Arnold 
was speaker of the House of De])Uties ; he 
was also one of the Council of vSir ]",dnuind 
Andros. John Arnold, son of Richard, was the 
first president of the Smithfield town council. 
In religion a Quaker, he gave money and land 
to build two meeting houses ; one was at the 
northerl\ , the other at the .southerly end of his 
farm, and that was so extensive that the\' were 
nine miles apart. One was reared at what was 
called the " Bank \'illage," the other near the 



H I O C, R A P II I Iv S . 



237 



" linttLTHv Factory." The grandson of John 
Arnold was Nathan, who was the captain ol a 
military company from Cumberland during tlic 
war of the revolution. He lo.st his life in con- 
sequence of exposure, after being wounded at 
the battle of Rhode Island, wliich took place 
on Aug. 29, 177S. Olney Arnold is in direct 
descent from William Arnold, half brother of 
Thomas Arnold, f)ne of the thirteen original 
proprietors (jf Pro\idence Plantations ; his name 
stands second in the deed from Roger Wil- 
liams to the Pro\i(lence proprietors. He is aLso 
de.scended from William Carpenter, Thomas 
Olney and Richard Waterman, three of the 
original proprietors of Providence Plantations. 
Worth}' founders of a new commonwealth, ever\ 
one of them represented the town in the General 
Assembly. They were also for several years 
members of the go\-enior's council. But these 
do not exhau.st the list of Olne^' Arnold's ances- 
tors. He can claim also descent from Richard 
Carder, another representative of Providence in 
the General Assembly, and from Thomas Angell, 
who accomjianied Roger Williams when he 
landed at Slate Rock in 1636; Rev. Pardon 
Tillinghast, pastor of the P'ir.st Baptist church 
in Providence for several years ; lulward 
Smith of Newport, a member of the gov- 
ernor's council: Benjamin Smith, another 
of the governor's council, and a deput\' to the 
General Assembly ; Edward Innian, commis- 
sioner and deputy to the General Court ; 
Roger Mowry : and John Johnson of Roxbury, 
general of the militia for many years, surveyor 
general of all arms and ammunition, chairman of 
the committee on war, and deputy to the Pl\ - 
mouth Colony Court for twenty-one years. The 
grandparents of Olney Arnold on his mother's 
side were Jonathan and Patience Mason, both 
descendants from Sampson Mason of Rehoboth, 
through the Rev. Pelatiah, Charles and Ben- 
jamin Mason. Jonathan Mason was a farmer in 
Cumberland and a member of the town council. 
01ne\' .\rn<ild is descended from man\' other 
lines of first comers who have helped to make 
Rhode Island hi.story. 

Olney Arnold was born at Newton, Mass., 
Jan. [7, 1822, and is a son of Seth and Belinda 



Mason (Streeter) Arnold. He was educated 
and prepared to enter college by the noted 
teacher James Bushee. Mr. Bushee had 
an academy at "Bank \'illage," Smithfield. 
His pupil, however, instead of entering college, 
engaged in mercantile pursuits for a time, and 
then accepted an appointment as cashier of a 
hank in Woonsocket. In 1853 he received a 
l)roffer of the cashiership of the People's Bank 
at Pawtucket, and removed to that town. His 
talents were soon appreciated by his new fellow- 
citizens and he found scope for them in develop- 
ing the industrial and financial capabilities of 
the place. His ability was recognized in other 
towns and cities, for in 1858 when the Bank of 
Mutual Redemption was started in Bo.ston he 
was invited to assume the office of cashier, but 
so strong a pressure was brought to bear on 
him to remain in Pawtucket, that he declined 
the flattering offer to remove from the state. 
Watchful of the financial interests of his associ- 
ates, he was alert to organize the First National 
Bank in Pawtucket, in 1863, when the National 
Banking law went into effect. In 1865 the 
Peoples' Bank was merged in the First National 
bank, and ten years afterwards he became presi- 
dent of the institution. This office he still 
liolds, and his administration of these united 
banks has been so successful that the earnings 
have averaged over twelve per cent, annually for 
upwards of forty years. He has, meanwhile, 
been treasurer of the Providence County 
Savings bank. He has had thrust upon him 
also the management of numerous trusts and 
the care of many estates, and has been treasurer, 
director and trustee of many corporations and 
institutions. In this unambiguous manner his 
associates and the public at large have ex- 
pressed their conviction of his capabilities and 
trustworthiness. 

Pawtucket had Uir years two leading 
branches of industrw In the nnddle of the 
seventeenth century Josejih Jenks set U]) a 
forge and established iron works. Near the 
close of the eighteenth century Samuel Slater 
liegan the sjiinning of cotton by power, and till 
the middle of the present century these remained 
the leading industries of the place. But the 



J.vs 



I LI. r ST rati: I) history of pawtuckkt. 



cotton business bad bt-L-n subjc-ct Id s])cTial 
reverses, and whi-ii thai was iiroslralc llie town 
was cripjik'd. Ikr enterprising; sons tlierefore 
desired to (Hwisif) the business so that if cotton 
or iron manufacturing were depressed the town 
sliouhl not be inijirovished or redticed in jxipu- 
lation. David Ryder. Alfred H. Littlefield, and 
a few others conceived the thought of accli- 
mating; the manufacture of hair seating, and 
Mr. Arnold, anxious to increase the business of 
the place, cheerfullj- afforded his aid in the 
enterprise. It was very successful. The men 
named encouraged a skillful inventor to devise 
\-ario>is contrivances which made the weaving 
of haircloth a new business. The American 
Hair Cloth Co. of Central I-alls is tlie 
vigorous offspring of theii faith, foreca.st and 
untiring energ\'. and is the successor of the 
Pawtucket Hair Cloth Co. From the begin- 
ning of the enterprise Mr. Arnold has been 
treasurer of the company. He organized 
the Pawtucket Electric Lighting Co. He has 
also been for years a director of the Cumberland 
Mills Co. and of the Dexter Yarn Co., and is 
interested in many other corporations. 

Mr. Arnold has had a very active political 
career. April 5, 1848, when a young man of 
26 years, he was elected a representative to the 
Rhode Island legislature from the towai of Cum- 
berland, and was re-elected the two following 
years. Soon after his removal to Pawtucket he 
was elected president of the North Providence 
town council, and when the west side village 
became part of Pawtucket he was elected 
president of the council of the enlarged town. 
From 1 85 1 to 1853 he was state railroad com- 
mi.ssioner. In the town meetings of Cund:)er- 
land, North Providence and Pawtucket he 
presided on many occasions as moderator. He 
ser\'ed as collector and treasurer of school dis- 
trict No. 19 in Cumberland, and also of school 
di.strict No. i in Pawtucket ; was treasurer of 
North Providence ; was one of the conunittee 
to build the Pawtucket town hall in 1S71 ; vvas 
chairman of the water conunission of Pawtucket 
1874-5; member of the water conunission 1885 
to 1895 inclusive; and has also been an auc- 
tioneer and notary public in the three towns, 



and in the city of Pawtucket. June 15. i.SSi, 
he was elected .state .senator from Pawtucket, and 
re-elected in i8,S2and iSSv During his term as 
senator he was a member of the judiciary com- 
mittee and also served on the committees on 
finance, corporations and militia. He was one 
of the conunission appointed on the old State 
Prison, Ajiril 28, 1883, the other two members 
being Royal C. Taft and Lucius D. Davis, 
May 12, 1890 he was appointed by dov, H. W, 
Ladd one of the commissioners to erect the new- 
State House in Providence. In the efforts to 
establish nuinicipal water works and the fire 
alarm system in Pawtucket, he was \ery active. 

I-'rom his youth Mr. .\rnoId has lieeii inter- 
ested in the state militia and has hekl every 
office up to major general. During the war of 
the rebellion he was indefatigable in organizing 
companies, was commissioner for the national 
goverment and superintendent of the draft for 
Rhode Island. He is an honorary member of 
the First and Second Regiment Veteran A.sso- 
ciations, and also of Slocum Post. He has 
been a mend)er of the vSons of the American 
Revolution since F'eb. i, 1890. He has been a 
F"ree Mason since April 21, 1855, when he 
became a member of .Morning .Star Lodge, 
Woonsocket, and now belongs to the Royal 
Arch Chapter, the Council of Royal and Select 
Masters, and Holy Sepulchre Conunandery. 

In politics (General .\rnold is a Democrat, 
and has been for years a leader of the part\' in 
the state of Rhode Island. In religion he is a 
Universalist. In 1.S56 he united with the High 
Street Universalist church in Pawtucket. and 
has long been a trustee of the Rhode Island 
State Convention of that denomination and 
treastirer from its organization. His monetarv 
contributions to his church and denomination 
have been very large but he considers the\' 
were the best investments he ever made. He 
has also been a generous contri1)Utor to Dean 
Academv'. Franklin, Mass.. and he endowed the 
" .\rnold Laboratory " at that institution in 
1882. In private benevolence General .Xrnold 
has ministered to the necessities of many deserv- 
ing persons, frequently making the pastor of his 
church his almoner; but he al.so has distributed 




w 




Ic/lL 



BIOGRAPHI 1-;S. 



'■3.9 



with p^reat cliscriiniiuUion l;ii"i;x- sums directly In 
the recipients. 

With the weaUh that has come to him 
tlirough his energy and financial aVjility, General 
Arnold has been able to cultivate and indulge 
the artistic tastes which he possesses in a marked 
degree. Hanging on the walls of the rooms of 
his beautiful mansion on Broad street are many 
fine and rare paintings. Among these are 
.several celebrated works of art, namely : Oswald 
Achenback's " Tomb of Cecelia Mettella;" 
Sophus Jacobson's "Moonlight on the Norwe- 
gian Coast;" a copy of Raphael's "Madonna 
della Candelabra ; " Salentin's " Devotion ; " the 
original of " Lady Washington's Reception," 
from which many engravings have been made ; 
" Greek Water Carrier;" " Autumn," by 
Robie ; " One of the Saints," by an old mas- 
ter, and many other rare and valuable works. 

In I •'^44 General Arnold was married to 
Phebe Dudley, of Dudley, Mass., a descendant 
of Paul Dudley. After nearly twenty years of 
happ\' marital life, Mrs. Arnold became seriously 
ill, but her life was prolonged many years by 
her patience and faith ; her sufferings were miti- 
gated liy the sympathy of friends and in a special 
manner by the watchful attention and unsleep- 
ing care of her husband. His devotion and 
solicitude were so marked as to kindle the 
admiration of every beholder. Mrs. Arnold died 
March 6, 1895. A true gentleman in every act 
of his life. General Arnold has fulfilled the 
maxim of Goethe, "to do the duty that lies 
nearest you," and it is a just eulogy to say that 
his life from childhood has been marked by 
devotion, magnanimity, faithfulness, sweetness 
and ability. 

ARNOLD, Preserved, the son of Preserved 
and ]5ets\- ( Whipple ) Arnold, was l)orn in Suiith- 
field, June 26, 1.S2.S. He is descended in the 
seventh generation from Thomas Arnold, who 
settled in the valley of the Moshassuck river, 
north of the present village of Saylesville. 
Here, late in the seventeenth century, Eleazer, 
a son of Thomas, built a .stone-end chinuiey 
house which is still standing on the Great Road, 
so called, hall a mile or more north of Sayles- 
ville This house when it was built was prob- 



able the most elegant residence in the northern 
part of the Colony of Rhode Island. It is two 
stories in height and is heavily timbered. On 
three sides the .spaces between the .studs were 
originally filled in with brick or tile, in order to 
make the dwelling bullet-proof in ca.se of an 
Indian attack. At \arious times it has been 
altered over and modernized, the principal 
change being the addition of the lean-to at the 
rear. Its jjresent dimensions are about thirty 
by thirty-three feet, two .stories high in front 
and one in the rear, the front eaves being six- 
teen leet and the rear between eight and nine 
feet from the ground. Preserved Arnold is a 
direct descendant of Eleazer in the female line. 
His paternal line of descent is: Thomas, Richard. 
Thomas, Job. Oliver, and Preserved, his father. 
Preserved remained at home until he was 21 
\ears old. In 1SS2 he returned to the ancestral 
home in Lincoln and has since carried on the 
extensive farm, which has reached a high state 
of cultivation, having been 200 years under til- 
tage by members of the Arnold family. Mr. 
Arnold is a Republican. He attends the Epis- 
copal church of Lonsdale. He was married in 
1S51 to Annie L. Harris of Pawtucket. Two 
children were born to them : Charles Whipple, 
and Annie Lazell, who are now deceased. 

ARNOLD, Seth, son of Nathan and Esther 
(Darliug) Arnold, was born in Cumberland, 
R. I., Eeb. 26, 1799. He was a descendant of 
Thomas Arnold, who came from Dorset, Eng- 
land in 1635. Thomas first .settled in Watertown, 
Mass., but came to Providence Oct. 17, 1661. 
His son Richard was the first settler at Woon- 
socket and his grandson John built the first 
framed house there in 171 1. John also erected 
a grist mill, which was located on the rocks below 
the falls. This mill was carried away during 
the flood of 1S07, but was soon rebuilt. John's 
grandson. Captain Nathan Arnold, was a soldier 
of the revolution. He commanded a company 
of minute-men in the battle of Rhode Island, and 
died soon after from injuries received in that 
engagement. His son Nathan, father of Seth 
.\rnold, was born in 1766, and died in 18 12. 
He married Esther, daughter of Samuel Dar- 
lintr. Sauuiel lived to be ninetv-five years old 



240 



IT.T.r STRATI-.D HISTORY O 1' PAWTT C K ICT. 



and his daughter ICsthcr, niothor ()( Seth AnioM, 
lacked a few mouths of one hundred years when 
she died in 1864. Seth Arnold developed con- 
siderable mechanical skill in his Ncmth, and al 
an early age became interested in llie manufac- 
ture of cotton goods. About the \ ear 1 S40 he 
became proprietor of certain patent medicines, 
and in 1S72 the lousiness was incorporated under 
the name of " The vSeth Arnold Medical Corpor- 
ation " and has lieen successfully carried on 
under that name up to the present time. Mr. 
Arnold was twice married and was the father of 
eight children, who survive him. He lived to 
the age of 84, and died Oct. 31, 1883. He lived 
a quiet life, declining public 
oflRce, and in liis old age was 
hij;hl\ rei;arded in the com- 
nuinitx' where he li\ed for his 
genial character and integrity. 
ADAHS, Thornton Henry, 
is of vScotch extraction. His 
grandfather, William Adams, 
conducted a large grocery 
store on the corner of Main 
street and Park place. Paw- 
tucket, and lived in a house 
which occupied the site of the 
I)resent railroad .station. His 
father, William T. Adams, was 
prominent in commercial and 
public affairs in North Provi- 
dence ; for many years he was 
a successful coal dealer : a 
member of the firms of J. S. Thornton l\: Co. 
and William T. Adams & Son : was a member 
of the town council of North Pro\idence and of 
the first town council of Pawtucket, and repre- 
sented the town in the Oeneral Assembly. 
He was a man of sterling character and was 
beloved by those who knew him for the kind- 
liness of his disposition. He died on March 
29, 1887. Charles P. .\danis, a brother of 
William T., was born in Pawtucket in 
1830. He was a well known dealer in real 
estate, and was noted for his liberal opinions 
and his sympathy for ref(5rm movements. He 
died in Pawtucket, Jan. 17, 1895. Robert, 
another brother, was a conductor on the 




THORNTON H. ADAMS 



•' rnik-r-rcnnd Raibciad," a \-er\- active aboli- 
licmist and reformer, and at an advanced age is 
now lixing in I''all River, where for nian\- \-ears 
he has conducted a book.storc-. William .Xdams 
and his sons were men of unusual force and 
character, and were prominent in the abolition 
and suffrage movements at a time when connec- 
tion with those causes entailed sacrifices and 
social ostracism. 

Thornton Heur\- Adams was born in North 
Providence May 16, 1856, and was the youngest 
child of William Tindel and Amanda M. ( Davis) 
Adams. He attended the Pawtucket ])ul)lic 
schools and completed his education in Allen's 
English and Cla.ssical school, 
West Newton, Mass., in 1873. 
His first occu])alion was that 
of clerk for his father. He 
afterwards learned the manu- 
facturing jewelers' lra<le with 
Howard & Sherable of Provi- 
dence, leaving there to engage 
in the grocery business. Mr. 
.\dams is a Republican. He 
attends the Congregational 
church on Park place. In fra- 
ternal affairs he is actively con- 
nected with Union Lodge, No. 
10, A. F. and A. M.: Pawtucket 
Royal Arch Chapter, No. 4 ; 
Pawtucket Council, R. and S. 
M. ; Holv Sepulchre Command- 
ery, No. 8; Charles E. Chick- 
ering Lodge, K. of P., No. 20; Ossamequin 
Tribe, No. 4, Improved Order of Red Men ; 
Royal vSociety of Good Fellows ; and the Order 
of United Workmen. On .\])ril 14, 1887, he 
was married to Lizzie O. Cook of Pawtucket, 
by which union there is one child, I{arl .\ndrew, 
l)orn Jan 11, 1891. 

ASHTON, Daniel Worsley, is of the second 
generation of his familx- in .America. His father, 
John W. Ashtcni, was born in \'orkshire, Eng- 
land, in 1809, and came to this country in 1840. 
He was active in the ]ihilanthropic work of the 
celebrated Robert Owen, who first advocated 
and secured the establishment ol Iree da\' and 
night schools and public libraries in Cireat 



BIOORAPHIKS. 



241 



Britain, which contributed so nuich toward the 
elevation 01 liie woricing classes. Mr. Ashton 
was always interested in co-operation, education 
and labor reform. The Boston Globe of June 
iS, 1891, said of him, "he was almost the 
double of William li. Gladstone," the great 
English statesman. He died in Pawtucket in 
iiSgi, aged 82 years. 

Daniel Wor.sley .Ashton, the first child of 
John W. and Anna (Worsley) Ashton, was 
born in Manche.ster, England, Jan. 6, 1.S35. 
He came to this country with his parents when 
five years of age, and attended the public schools 
of Pawtucket. He learned the trade of a pat- 
tern maker with Danforth L. Peck, l)oarded 
with his employer, worked the first year for $25, 
the second for $30, and the third for $40, and 
the hours of labor were " faclor\' time," (nnu 
thirteen to fifteen hours dail>-. When he was 
out of his time he entered into a partnership 
witli Charles A. Luther under the name of 
Luther & Ashton. to carr\- on the business of 
pattern making. This firm was dissolved in 1857, 
and from that time until 1S71 Mr. Ashton 
operated a shop of his own. He then succeeded 
the late James Arnold as a manufacturer of 
cotton machinery on Dexter street, but in 1877 
disposed of this business to George W. Pa>-ne 
& Co. \'ery early in connection with his 
pattern-making business he started to manu- 
facturer cloth stretchers, which industrx- is now 
an important one in Pawtucket. In 1S77, a 
favorable opportunity offering, he established 
himself in the wholesale lumber connnission busi- 
ness, which he still conducts. Later he com- 
menced the manufacture of starch and water 
mangles for printers and bleachers, and in this 
connection he is known all (jver the United 
States and luirope. He has taken an active 
part in public affairs, and .served as sealer of 
weights and measures before the consolidation 
of the town of Pawtucket. Sept. 22, 1857, he 
was married to Julia Ann Arnold of Pawtucket. 
By this union there are three children : Charles 
F., b. Sept. 4, 1861 : Frank H., b. July 17. 
1865 ; and Julia L., b. May 20, 1868. 

ATWOOD, Abner, son of Joshua, son of 
Joshua, son of Xathaniel, son of Xathaniel, 



son of Xallianiel. son of John. Tlie last named 
was the common ancestor of this family in 
America and settled in Plymouth. Mass., in 
1633, where he married .Sarah, daughter of 
Richard Master.son. He was prominent in the 
affairs of the town and accumulated consider- 
able property. Many of his descendants have 
been distinguished in political, bu.siness, and 
social life. Abner's ancestor moved to Car\-er, 
Mass., at an early date and he was born there, 
in a house that had sheltered three successive 
generations of this famil\-. His mother, Hannah 
Thomas, was a native of Middleboro, Mass. 
His youth was passed like that of mo.st boys of 
the time in New England towns. He attended 
school and helped his father on the farm until 
he attained his nineteenth year. He then went 
to Taunton and entered the employ of William 
iVIason iS: Co., then one of the largest cotton 
machinery builders in the country, to learn the 
trade of a machinist. After an experience of 
five years, he took charge of a .section in the 
works of the Taunton Locomotive Company, 
remaining until 1858, when he formed a partner- 
ship with J. O. Draper, in Bedford, Mass., for 
the manufacture of soap. In 1862, the firm of 
Draper & Atwood removed to Pawtucket, and 
in 1866, upon the death of the junior partner of 
the firm of R. & G. Cushman, Mr. Atwood was 
invited bv the surviving partner to an interest 
iu the firm and business. Until 1875 the style 
of the firm was Cushman, Phillips 6k Co. Mr. 
Cushman then withdrew and the firm of Atwood, 
Crawford & Company was formed. In 1890 
this company was incoqjorated under the name 
of The Atwood, Crawford Co., and Mr. Atwood 
was elected pre.sident, which position he now 
holds. Mr. Atwood is remarkably vigorous 
lor a man in his 71st year. He is a deacon of 
the Central Falls Congregational church. In 
1851 he married Lydia A. Draper of Attleboro. 
AUTHIER, Joseph Misael, was born in St. 
Charles, Ouel)ec, Canada, Aug. 31. 1844, and 
is the third child of Louis G., and Honore 
Guertin, of Beloeil, Canada. He attended the 
public .schools of St. Hilaire, and completed 
his education at the Granby Academy, Granby, 
P. y., and the Xoriual .School at Montreal. 



242 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



Canada. When i6 years of age he commenced 
the study of law, being admitted to practice as 
a notarj- public in 1867. He engaged actively 
in his profession lor fu-e years, but finally con- 
cluded to devote all his time to journalism. 
The opportunities offered in his own country 
were not encouraging, so he came to the United 
States in 1872, going direct to Cohoes, N. Y., 
where he assumed charge of the editorial 
department of L'Avenir National. In 1S76, he 
established La Patrie Nouvelle, but receiving 
a tempting offer for its purchase, di.spo,sed of it 
in 1S90 and came to Central Falls, R. I., where 
he commenced the publication of L'Esperance, 
a semi-weekly paper, which has been successful 
from the start. Mr. Authier is an active 
Republican, and takes a prominent part in the 
local affairs of Central Falls. He is a member 
of the .school board, and is also one of the board 
of licence commissioners. He lias Jteen married 
twice, fir.st to Evelina M., daughter of Captain 
O. Naud, of Sorel, P. O., Canada, July 29, 1867, 
and by this union there were three children, 
Joseph, I^velina and Louis Napoleon. His 
fir.st wife died, and on Aug. 29, 1882, he was 
married to Martine Lucie Ducharme of Cohoes, 
New York. 

BANIQAN, James E., the filth chihl ..1 
Owen and Margaret (Donlej-) Banigan, was 
liorn in Pawtucket, Jan. 8, 1866. He received 
his education in the public schools of Pawtucket 
and the La Salle Academy, Providence, and 
was graduated from the Pawtucket high school 
in 1885. For five years he was a clerk in 
different mercantile houses and then began the 
.study of law in the office of Joseph Osfield, Jr. 
In 1893 he was admitted to the bar, and formed 
a partnership with Mr. Osfield, which was dis- 
.solved in 1895, when he opened a separate office 
at 179 Main street. He has now developed a 
good general practice in his profession, and is 
considered an advocate of promise and ability. 
He takes a livel\- and intelligent interest in 
public affairs. In politics his preferences are 
Democratic, but he is not a partisan. 

Mr. Banigan's grandfather, Peter Banigan, 
was the founder of the famil\- in this countr}-. 
He emigrated in 1832, from Castleblaeny, 



County Monaghan, Ireland, and settled in 
Lowell, Mass., with his wife and a famih- of 
five sons and two daughters. In 1S37 the\- all 
came to Pawtucket, and the father and sons 
went to work in Dunnell's printworks, where 
several of the latter became expert block print- 
ers, and when machine printing was introduced 
they also learned that art. Soon after coming 
to Pawtucket Mr. Banigan erected a dwelling 
house on North Bend .street, where he resided 
until his death in 1869 at the age of 86. He 
was one of the best known and respected men 
in the community and was possessed of genial 
manners, a read}' wit, and a well stored mind, 
all of which made him a charming companion. 
Owen, the son of Peter and the father of James 
E., was born in Ireland in 1824 and died in 
Pawtucket in 1881. He was originally a 
machine printer in Duiniell's printworks but 
went into the grocery !)usiness and then became 
a wholesale liquor dealer, in which he continued 
until his death. His family of six children were 
all born in Pawtucket, and he jilaced at their 
disposal the advantages of education, wliicli in 
common with his brothers and si.sters, James E. 
has availed him.self of to advantage. 

BARBER, Joseph De Vere, H. D., the first 
child and onl\- son of Thomas Alvin and Sarah 
Jane (Kenjon) Barber, was born in Hopkinton, 
R. I., in 1 87 1. On his mother's side he is des- 
cended from the Kenyons, a familj' well-known 
in Southern Rhode Island since the seventeenth 
century. His maternal grandfather, Joseph D. 
Kenyon, was a physician in Hopkinton in the 
early part of the present century, and his uncle, 
John D. Ken3'on, is now a physician in We.sterly, 
R. I. His father served in the P'ourth Rhode 
Island Volunteers for three years during the 
war of the rebellion, and since then has con- 
ducted a drug store in Ashaway, R. I. Joseph 
attended the We.sterly public schools, was 
graduated from the high school and then studied 
medicine in Columbia College, New York cit\ . 
from which he was graduated in 1892. For two 
years he was a member of the staff of phxsicians 
in the Norwegian Hospital, Brooklyn. As a 
result of this training and experience he had 
become a skilled surgeon and physician. In 



B I O C R A P H 1 1: S . 



243 



1895 he established himself in Pawtucket, with 
an office in the Sheldon building, and soon 
secured a good practice. After remaining here 
a year he remo\-ed to Putnam, Conn., where 
he only remained a short time when he went 
to Westerly, where he now has an office at S 
High .street. During his residence in Paw- 
tucket Dr. Barber l)ecame a member ot the 
Business Men's Association and of the Paw- 
tucket Medical Association. He belongs to 
the Re]nil)lican ])arty, and is a mcnilier of the 
Baptist church. 

BARBER, John H., son of Joseph and 
Elizabeth (Buckley) Barber, was born in Provi- 
dence, R. I. May ;,o, 1S52, attended the Paw- 
tucket public .schools until he was thirteen years 
old, and at the age of sixteen began to learn 
the trade of a silversmith with the Gorham 
Manufacturing Co., Providence. He continued 
to work for that company until November iSjs 
when he had become an expert silversnnth. In 
1876 he engaged with the Whiting Manufactur- 
ing Co., of Xortli Attleboro, Ma.ss., as a silver- 
smith. During that year this company removed 
Its works to New York city and Mr. Barber 
accompanied the concern and served as a fore- 
man of the manufacturing department, and then 
went to work as foreman for Tiffan\- & Co., 
about 1.S78. He remained with this company 
until iS.Si when he returned to Central Falls to 
conduct a hack, livery and boarding stable 
which he had purcha.sed from Isaac Bennett the 
previous year. Since that time he has carried 
on this business, and has been very successful. 
He has always personally directed the busine.ss 
and is now its active manager. Mr. Barber was 
one of the commissioners appointed to di\-ide 
Lincoln from Central Falls, and has been town 
and city .sergeant, which latter office he now 
fills, and as such summons jurors and witne.sses 
for all court business. He is a member of Jenks 
Lodge, Masons, and belongs to the Knights of 
Pythias ; the United Workmen ; the Knights of 
Kora.shian ; the Central Falls Veteran Firemen's 
Association ; the Central Falls Republican As.so- 
ciation : and is an associate member of Ballon 
Post, G. A. R. of Central Falls. He was mar- 
ried in i8S4to Lizzie E. Kinney of Mattapoisett, 



Mass., and they have one .son, John H., Jr., b. 
Now 12, 1892. 

Mr. Barber's father was born in Manchester, 
Ivngland, and came about 1839 to Providence, 
R. I., where he was employed in the Providence 
(xas works until about 1853, when he was engaged 
to jnit in the piping for the Pawtucket Gas 
works on High .street, Central Falls. He re- 
mained with the.se works for 25 years. In 1875 
he entered the employ of the Pawtucket Steam 
^: Cias Pipe Co., but retired in 1880, and lived 
quietly until his death in Pawtucket in 1888. 

BARBER, Reuben A., the son of George P. 
and Lydia (Soul) Barber, was born in Pomfret, 
Conn., Aug. 11, 1846. He attended the public 
schools of Scituate, R. I., until he attained his 
fifteenth year. His first occupation was with 
the Rockland Mill Co. He was afterwards 
employed in the Beten'ille, D^-erville, Center- 
dale and Allen.sville Mills for short periods 
until 1.S65, when he came to Pawtucket and 
entered the mill of Dexter Bros., now the Dex- 
ter Yarn Company, on Broadway, where Ijy 
nitelligence, clo.se application, and executive 
ability he was succe.s.sively promoted until he 
became superintendent in 1888. He has now^ 
lieen thirty consecutive years with this concern. 
Mr. Barber attends the Park Place Congrega- 
tional church, and is now connected with a 
number of fraternal societies, being a Mason, 
Odd Fellow and a Knight of Pythias, and 
belongs to the Pawtucket Veteran Firemen's 
Association. He was married to Maranda J. 
Chappell of Pawtucket in 1S80. 

BARBER, Varnum T., the fourth child of 
John K. and Betsey (Tabor) Barber, was born in 
Hope Valley, R. I., July 18, 1852. He attended 
the public schools of Voluntown, Conn., until 
he attained his eleventh year, when he went to 
work in the cotton mill in the same village. 
There he labored eight years and acquired a 
thorough knowledge of the textile industry. 
He then worked successively in Jewett City, 
Grosvenor Dale and Putnam, Conn. In the 
latter town he was appointed overseer of the 
mill and remained in this position six years. 
He then took charge of the Grinnell Mill in New- 
Bedford, Mass., and afterward was superintend- 



244 



I L LUST rati; I) HIvSTORV OK PAWTUCKET. 



eiit of the City Mill of that place. Coiniii;^ to 
Pawtucket in 1889 he became sii])eriiiteii(leiU of 
the Slater Cotton Conip;ui\ 's mills, which posi- 
tion he now holds. -Mr. liarljer is an atUndanl 
of the I'^jiiscopal church, and a memher ol the 
.Masonic order. He is also a mend)er of the To 
Kalon clnb of Pawtucket. .Sijit. 10, 1S76, he 
was married to Clara Iv Sherman of Jewett 
City, Conn., h\' which union there are three 
children, Luella M., h. A])ril 11, 1878; Win- 
fred I)., I3. Aug. 0. i.Syy; and Harold T., b. 
vSept. 7, 1890, 

BARKER, Edward, the second child of 
Matthew G. and Sarah (vStuttard) Barker, was 
born near Bradford, England, Dec. 21, 1857. 
When nine years old he went to work in a 
woolen mill, and in course of time became a 
skilled operator. As his mind expanded, recog- 
nizing the necessity for a better education than 
he had been able to secure in his short attend- 
ance at school, he applied himself closely to 
stud\- and soon acquired a varied and u.seful 
fund of knowledge. At an early age he enter- 
tained thoughts of emigrating. The countries 
that interested him nicst were the Ihiited States 
and Australia, and his final selection of the for- 
mer was influenced by its democratic form of 
goxerniuent. With his wife and child he came 
to this country and secured employment in a 
woolen mill in Lawrence, Mass. From thence 
he removed to Providence, and while there se- 
cured a position as overseer in the Central Falls 
woolen mill, where he remained five years and 
accumulated sufficient money to enable him to 
.start in business for himself. He commenced in 
a small way as a jobber in woolen cloth. His 
business steadily increased, but the great de- 
pression in busine.ss and poor collections forced 
him to make an assignment in the fall of 1896. 
In public affairs Mr. Barker favors progressive 
measures regardless of the party or source from 
which they originate. He was the first to call a 
public meeting in Pawtucket in the interest of 
ballot reform and was one of the organizers and 
president of the Single Tax club. He has ab- 
solute faith in the high destinies that await this 
nation in the future. Sept. 4, 1880, he was mar- 
ried to Annie Eastwood of Calvely, England, 



b\- which union there are four children : Herbert 
Ewart, Blanche Ivislwood, hlsther .\nnie. and 
(".race I'hnih'. 

BARKER, Frederick Eugene, is a descend- 
ant of one of the oldest families in Rhode Island, 
and traces his ancestry back to the original .settlers 
of the state. His father, who was born in Provi- 
dence in 1827, remo\ed to Pawtucket in i860, 
was a mend)er of the first cit\ go\-ernment, and 
pre,sident of the hoar<l of aldcrnit-n. His mater- 
nal grandfather was a prominent figure in state 
politics and took an active part in the Dorr War, 
was sheriff of the county and held other impor- 
tant offices. FVederick Eugene was born in 
Pro\idence, March 31, 1854, and is the second 
child of Frederick A. and Lucinda E. (Lewis) 
Barker. He received his education in the public 
schools of Pawtucket, was graduated from the 
high school and completed his education at 
Mowry & Goff's Engli.sh and Classical .school 
in Providence. In 1871, when seventeen years 
of age, he entered the employ of Barker, Chadsey 
& Co., hardware dealers of I'rovidence, where 
he remained until 1S84, when he e.stabli.shed a 
hardware store corner of Main street and I^ast 
avenue, Pawtucket, umler the firm name of 
F. Eugene Barker & Co. In October, 1891, he 
removed to 226 Main .street, where he is at present 
located. This business was successful from the 
start. In politics Mr. Barker is an acti\e 
Republican and is vice-president of the Garfield 
Club. He is a member of the Business Men's 
A.ssociatioii and the T. K. Club. May 1 1, 1880, 
he was married to Stella F. Smith of Pawtucket, 
l)y which union there are two children, Louise, 
1). Dec. 2, 1886, and Agnes, b. May 22, 1891. 

BARKER, Henry, son of Benjamin and 
Harriet (Foster) Barker, was l)orn in \'ork- 
shire, England, June, 1848. F'or many genera- 
tions the Barkers resided in Bradford, England, 
and the majority of the members of the family 
were hand and power loom weavers of dre.ss 
goods. Henry's maternal and paternal grand- 
fathers were old pensioners and fought at 
Waterloo and in the Peninsula campaigns for 
fifteen years. His father, Benjamin, came to 
America in iSo;, and was the first of the faniih' 
to arrive in this countrs ; he settled in Law- 



BIOGRAPIIIKS. 



245 



rence, Mass., where he worked in the Paeific 
mills for many years, and died in tliat eitv in 
iS.So. Henry attended school in England until 
he was fourteen years old, wlien he went to 
work in the mill witli liis father and served an 
apprenticeship t<i high cla.ss weaving. He 
ma.stered tlie luisiness, became an overseer, 
and operated under contract a weaving depart- 
ment for the firm of Wheatersmith, Tankard & 
Co., of Bradford, employing his own help in 
this undertaking. 

In iSjohecame to the United States and 
settled with his father at Lawrence, Mass., 
worked for the Pacific mills for ten years, when 
he was engaged by the Arlington mills to take 
charge of the weaving. Witli this latter con- 
cern he remained four years, wlien lie was 



engaged in iSSS 



\\'. F. & F. C. Savles to 



take charge ..1 the Lorraine mills' weaving 
department, wliich position he now holds. He 
now has control of 200 hands and is responsible 
for the wea\ing of all fabrics manufactured. 
Mr. Barker is a Republican. In iSyi he was 
elected a member of the Pawtuckel .school com- 
mittee and was chairman in 1895-6. He belongs 
to Trinity Episcopal church, is a Free Mason 
and an Odd Fellow. He was married in 
i<S68 in Bradford, England, and now has eight 
children: Fred., b. in England, and Benjamin, 
Florence, Henrietta, Mabel, Waldo, Lawrence 
and Kal])h l)orn in Pawtucket. 

BARNEY, Edward C, the fourth cliild of 
Otis H., and Betsey (Short) Harney, was born 
in Rehoboth, Mass., Aug. 27, 1.S32. He ob- 
tained his education in the public schools of his 
native town, and worked on the farm until he 
attained his nineteenth year. h'inding this 
occupation uncongenial he went to Providence, 
learned the jewelers' trade and worked as a 
journeyman until his thirty-.seventh year when 
he had accumulated a .small capital with the 
intention of establishing himself in Inisiness. 
In 1869 he came to Pawtucket and opened a 
grocery store corner of Main and Bayley .streets, 
where he remained for six years, removing to 
his present location, 694 Main .street, in 1S75, 
where he conducts a market and general provi- 
sion business in connection with his uroeer\-. 




■f 



^ 




EDWARD C. BARNEY, 

GROCER 

In politics Mr. Barney is an independent. May 
17, 1859, he was uuirried to Mary~ F. \'ars of 
Pawtucket, by which union there are three 
children: Mary Delia, b. Dec. 10. i,S62: Annie 
C, b. June 9, 1863, and Edna C, b. June 29, 
1.S78. Mr. Barney's father, Otis H., was a 
ship captain and was bom in North Swansea, 
Mass. He was of the fourth generation that 
were born in the same place. His grandmotlier, 
Betsey Short, was born in Barrington, R. I., and 
is a direct descendant of the Scotch family of 
that name who came to this country with the 
early colonists and di.stingui.shed themselves in 
the war of independence. 

BAROLET, Louis Phillippe, is the son of 
Francois Xavier and Henriette (Chenevert) 
Barolet. The Barolet family lived in the city 
of Ldle, I'rance, for many generations, and the 
grandparents of Louis P. early in this century 
sailed for Canada, where Francois was born. 
They .settled near the city of Montreal and 
engaged in agriculture. Francois was edu- 
cated in Montreal, was a graduate of \'ictoria 
Univer.sity, and became a leading physician in 
Montreal. In i,S72 he came to Putnam, Conn., 
and died at llolyoke, Mass., in May, 1894. 
Louis Phillippe was born at St. Cuillaume, 



246 



ILLUvSTR ATl'I) IIISToRV () I' PAW T I' C K I'.T 



/ 



P. y., ill 1861, ami received his ]irim:u\- scluxil- 
iiisj there. He entered Mi)iUre:il College when 
ten \ears of age, and took a chissieal conrse. 
h'nnn liis sixteenth to liis eighteenth yeai' he 
pursued an JCnglish course at our public high 
school. He then entered Boston Dental College 
and two years later coinnienccd practice in 
Puluani, Cnnn., wliere he remained tour and a 
hall \ears. lie (le\el(i]>ed great skill in den- 
tislr\- and .secured an excellent patronage. He 
came to Pawtucket in iSSS and o])ened an office 
in the Sheldon building, Main street. He has 
built up a fine practice and i.s a thorough dental 
expert, employing the mo.st modern scientific 
apparatus. In jiolitics Dr. Rarolet is a Repub- 
lican. 

BASTOW, Stuart, the sixth child ol Amos 
and .\nna ( Priestly) Bastow was 
born in Leeds, England, Feb. 
24, 1.S72. His father was a 
machinist in Leeds, who being- 
attracted to the United .States 
b\' the broad field offered to 
men of energy and enterprise, / 
came here in 1SS4. Stuart at- 
tended the public schools of his 
nati\-e cit\- until he attained his \ 
twelfth >ear, and completed his \ 

education at tlie ])u1)lic schools 
of Pawtucket in iSSfi. His first 
occupation was in the drug .store 
of Mr. McAllister on Dexter 
street, where he remained for 
three years. He possessed considerable taste 
for drawing and designing and this induced 
him to de\()te four years to learning sign paint- 
ing. In 1893 he opened an establishment of his 
own at 23 Broad street, and has established a 
large and continually increasing business. 

BATES, Frank May, the present treasurer 
of the cil\' of Pawtucket, was boiii in Pawtucket, 
Mass., Aug. 4, 1843, and is the onl\ child of 
XaliuniandvSarah Maria ( May) Hates. His father 
was for 60 years a merchant on the east side, Paw- 
tucket, at the corner of Broadway and Main 
street ; and his grandfather, also named Xalium, 
was a farmer and wholesale dealer in cattle and 
live stock in Meiulon, Mass. The Bates fainiK 




\ 




FRANK MAY BATES 



has for nian\- generations been conspicuous in 
.Mendiiii, liridgewater, and other towns of the 
( )Id Colony. Through his ])ateriial grandmother 
Mr. Hates is descended from the Ballous, so long 
a coiisi)icuous family in northern Rhode Island 
and in southern and western Massachusetts. 
( )n his mother's sick- he traces his descent to 
John Ma\'. who came Iroiii Mayfield, luigland 
in id^S ;nid settleil at Roxbury, Mass. His 
great grandfather May was a ])rominent man in 
his day in Massachusetts, was a member of tlie 
governor's council, a state senator, and served 
as colonel in the revolutionary war. His grand- 
father, Jesse Ma>', was the fnst law\er who 
began to practice that profession in the village 
of Pawtucket in the town of North Providence. 
Jesse May's wife was Betsey Marsh, the daugh- 
ter of Amariah Marsh, who, it is 
claimed, was the teacher in the 
first Sunday school established 
1)\- Samuel .Slater, and received 
one dollar each Sunday for 
leaching the children the three 
R's. Other members of this 
branch ol the laiiiiK' have been 
distinguished. Setli May of 
W'iiUhro]), Me., was judge of 
the Maine Supreme Court. 
Lemuel M a >' of Attleboro, 
brother ol Mr. Hates' maternal 
grandfather, was com 111 only 
known as Squire May, and his 
son, John W. May. who was a 
classmate of Judge W. W. Hlodgett of Paw- 
tucket, was a prominent lawyer, and at one time 
was district attorney for Suffolk County, Massa- 
chusetts. 

Mr. Hates' lather was born in Miiidou, 
Mass., March 6, 1811, and came to Pawtucket 
in 1S32. P'rom i860 to 18-4 he was town treas- 
urer, was a member of the Masssachusetts Legis- 
lature from 1.S46 to 1849, and served as select- 
man for many terms. P'or a long period, and 
up to the time of his death, he was a deacon of 
the P'irst Baiitist church, and lor inan\ \ears 
was sujjerintendeiil ol the .Suiula> sclinol. He 
cast his first vote for Henr\' Clav in 1832, ami 
votetl thereafter in e\-ery election, national, 





JOSEPH DeVERE barber, M.O. 



LOUIS H. BEAUDRY, M.D. 





EDWARD S. BOWEN, 

TREASURER NEWELL COAL AND LUMBER ( 




248 



ILLUSTRATKD HISTORY OF PAWTl'CKICT. 



state, town or clislricl, wliieh occurred in I'aw- 
tucket until his dealii, llie tla\ ol the presiden- 
tial election, Nov. >S, i.Sy2. One ot the most 
prominent members of the Hales lamil\ has 
been Samuel I'. Bates, who was state historian 
and state superintenilent ol schools in Pennsyl- 
vania, and wrote a history oi the ci\il war and a 
defence of General Hooker's action at tin- battle 
of Chancellors\Mlle. 

I'rauk May Hates recei\ed his education in 
the connuon schools and in the high school ol 
Pawtucket. but did not graduate on atcouul of 
ill health. He worked for Gcjrham iS: Co. and 
Hrown in Providence for two years and he then 
in iS66 entered into his father's business, and 
continued therein until his a])poiutuieul as city 
treasurer, July, iSyi. In ii~iy3, after his lather's 
death, the business was finally clo.sed up. Mr. 
Hates has always been a Republican. He served 
on the school committee for two years, during 
which jjeriod he was secretar\-. From rSjy to 
iSSj inclusi\e. he represented Pawtucket in the 
(".eueral .\ssenil)l\', and for two sessions was chair- 
nuiu of the conuniltec on militia. In 18S4 he 
was a delegate at large to the Chicago conven- 
tion which nominated James G. Blaine for the 
presidency, and was the only Blaine man from 
Rhode Island. During the Centenary celebra- 
tion, Mr. Hates was chief of .staff on Military 
l)a\', and he deli\ered the oration Satunlay, 
Oct. 4, 1.S90 at the dedication of the Collyer 
monument. He is one of the original members 
of the Pawtucket Business Men's Association. 
I'"eb. 6, 1S88, he read a paper before this organiza- 
tion on "Fires and Insurances" which contained 
an array' of facts and figures of great interest. 
He has been correspondent for the (iantti- and 
Chronicle and for the Daily Tiiius, and accom- 
panied a party of capitalists to Siou.x Cit\ in 
this capacity for the Daily 'finics in 18S9. He 
is a member of the F''irst Baptist church, and 
was a teacher in its Sunday school for more 
than thirty years, in this respect following in 
the foot.steps of his great-grandfather, Amariah 
Marsh. Out of fifty scholars in the class he 
taught for many years, all have been successful 
men, except two or three. Mr. Bates is a mem- 
ber of many societies and has been treasurer of 



nearl\ all of thciii. He was for two years 
treasurer of the X'eteran f'iremens .\ssociatioii, 
for fn-e \ears treasurer of the Horse Guards, and 
has been treasurer of the N'oiiiig Peo])le's .Society 
of his chinch. 

In the local militia .Mr. Hales was for man\' 
\ears \ery active. He joined the Pawtucket 
Horse Guards in 1S62, during the ne.xt ten 
years passed through all grades, and was captain 
ill iSj.S-y. In i.s,S5 he was appointed by Go\- 
iTiior Hrown a member of his staff with the 
rank ol colonel, an<l as such rci)reseiUed Rhode 
Island oil the >taff ol Crcii. Phili]) 11. Sheridan 
al the dedication of the Washington iiioiuiiiicnt, 
h'el). JJ, 1.SS5. He was married Aug. 12. i.Sdd. 
to .Susan Peir>- luldx' ol Hast Greenwich, and 
tlie\ had two children: Charles luld\-, b. .\ug. 
S, iSdj, died July 2\). 1S77 ; and Sarah May, b. 
Dec. 3, 1S72. 

BATES, Frederick, son ol Whitinan ami 
Luc\' .Villi (Clark) Pjates, was horn at South 
Millord, .Mass., Aug. 22, 1.S31. His father 
moved to Pawtucket with his faiiiilx' in 1836. 
h'or one \ear h'rederick went to school at South 
Meiulon, Mass. In Pawtucket he attended the 
Grove Street Grammar school and the Academy 
which stood where Stephen F. Fisk's house now 
is on Main street, and the Vmilding is .still in 
existence on Walcott street. He fitted for col- 
lege at the L\ciu e\: Frieze i>ri\-ate school, now 
the I'niversity Grammar school in Proxideiice, 
and entered Brow'u University in 1847. On the 
death of his father in 1849 he left the University 
and devoted his time to the business, becoming- 
clerk for his uncle Nahum Bates, who continued 
to run the store. His salary at first as clerk 
was 5115 per year, and this only paid his board. 
He howex'er soon found a better position in 
Providence with I,. I). .\iitIioiiy & Co., retailers 
and wholesalers of fancy goods, where he 
recei\'ed S250 ])er year. In 1853 he. with his 
lirother-indaw, D. T. Chilsmi, IjouglU out X. 
Bates & Co., the business founded by his father. 
They conducled it very successfully under the 
linn name of Chilscui iS: Hates until 1858 when 
tlie\ admitted to the firm James .\. I.eckie, one 
of their clerks. The style then became Chilson, 
Bates & Co. In 1862 Mr. Bates bought out Mr. 



Riorum A PHI i: s. 



249 



Chilsdii, wliii (lit'd soon alter, lia\iu^ been ill 
for some tiiiic before he sold out. The firm then 
became Bates & Leckie. In 1S66 the wliole 
business was sold out and closed. .\ >ear later 
Mr. Bates purcha.sed a stock in Providence with 
his old partner, but he sold out within a year, 
on account of ill health. From 1880 to 18S3 la- 
was a member of the firm of Linton Bros., but 
again ill health forced him to retire. 

In politics Mr. Bates is a Republican. He 
was a member of the Pawtucket town council, 
being the only Republican on the council at 
that time. In 1856 he was married to Harriet 
N., daughter of Amos M. Read. They have 
one child, Adelaide ITnderwood Bates, who was 
married to Edward G. Tuttle of New York 
city, May 31, 1893. Mr. Bates joined the Paw- 
tucket Congregational church in 1856, and has 
been a member ever since. He was superinten- 
dent of the Sunday school in 1882-5, was elected 
trustee April 28, 1862, and is now the senior 
trustee He was also a member of the building 
committee when the present church was con- 
structed in 1868. Since 1883 he has lived a 
retired life, looking after his real estate interests. 
He sold out a large portion of his landed estate, 
which has since been largeh' built upon. He 
acquired considerable wealth, is a man of well 
preserved powers, and is v-er}' active. He now 
resides at the old family home on Walcott street. 

BATES, Whitman, son of Xahum and 
Perley (Ballou) Bates, was born March 9, 1805, 
in Mendon, Mass., and died in Pawtucket, Dec. 
12, 1849. Until he was twenty-one years old 
he lived in his native place, obtained his edu- 
cation there in the district school and worked 
on his father's farm. When he attained his 
majority his father gave him a silver dollar, 
which is still in the possession of the lamilw 
and sent him out into the world. He went to 
vSouth Milford, Mass., and became a clerk in a 
store, saved money, and upon the death of his 
employer bought the store. In 1835 he sold 
the store, moved to South Mendon, and o])ened 
a hotel which he sold at the end of a year. 
Coming to Pawtucket he bought out the grocer\- 
and dry goods business owned by Alanson 
Thaver and Ellis Pitcher. The store was situ- 



ated where the Hates Ijlock now is on P.roadway. 
I le disposed of the grocery ])art and conducted 
the dry goods business until his death in 1849. 
His brother, Xahum Bates, the father of Frank 
M. liates, the present city treasurer, was his 
])artner in this enterprise and the firm was 
known as \V, .S: X. Bates. The business was 
\ery successful, and Mr. Bates became one of 
the leading and influential citizens of Pawtucket. 
For many years he was superintendent of the 
Sunday school of the First Baptist church, and 
was a member of the building committee when 
the present edifice was constructed in 1842. 

The Bates family is descended from Clement 
Hates, who .sailed from England in 1635 in the 
ship "Elizabeth," with his wife, five children 
and two servants, and settled in Hingham, Ma.ss. 
The\' came from Lydd, County of Kent, where 
their ancestors had lived for two centuries. 
Whitman Hates is of the sixth generation from 
Clement, and the line of descent is : Clement, 
Joshua, Isaac, who .settled in Bellingham : 
Laban, who was a revolutionary soldier and a 
memberof the Massachusetts legislature : Xahum 
and Whitman. 

BAXTER. Frederick Warren, is descended 
from an old New England family that came from 
Cape Cod to Pawtucket at an early date. He 
is the third child of Warren and Carrie M. 
(Gardner) Baxter, and was born in Pawtucket, 
March 17, 1861. He attended the public schools 
until he was fifteen years old. In 1876 he was 
apprenticed to Charles Rittnian to learn the 
upholstering trade. When his term of appren- 
ticeship had expired he worked for J. A. & A. 
J. .\llen of Central Falls and the Central Falls 
l'"urnilure Co.. who had succeeded that firm. 
In 1SS7 he opened an upholstering establish- 
ment in the Sheldon block on X'^orth I'nion 
street. After .several removals he settled in 
1S95 at his i)resent location, 90 Exchange street, 
where he makes a specialty of manufacturing 
fine and medium upholstered furniture and hair 
mattresses and also deals in antique furniture. 
Mr. Baxter is a Rejiublican, and is a member of 
the Garfield Club. He has taken an active part 
in the Knights of Pythias and has occupied sev- 
eral jiromincnt positions in the order. He is 



250 



I I.I.rSTR .\Tl-;i) HISTORY O I' T AW T T C K I'.T 



also a menilier of the American Benefit Associa- 
tion. July 10, i.S,S2 he was married to Ruth 
Frances W'inslow of Pawtucket, by which union 
there are four children: Krnest Winslovv, Carr\ 
hell Warren, Ruth Spencer, and Charles Warren. 

BEl.LEW, Robert, the fourth child of 
Patrick and Mary (Chambers) Bellew, was born 
in Montreal, Canada, May 31, 1846. He attended 
the public schools of Xorth Becket, Mass., 
whither his faniil\- had removed, until 1862, 
when he enlisted in Company ]i, 1st Massachu- 
setts Cavalrw He participated in many of the 
great battles of the ci\il war, until his regiment 
was mustered out of ser\ice in 1864. He then 
went to Boston, to Jackson, Mich., and Chicago, 
111., and in the latter cit>' he worked at tanning 
for a brother of General Grant. Returning east 
he worked at his trade near Boston, and also at 
Attleboro. Mass., and then with Comp ^ Co., 
where he remained 15 years. In 1881 in com- 
pany with William Gould and R. A. Butler he 
established the .Star Tanning Co., now located 
at 140 h'ront street. In iS,S4 he opened a branch 
store in Philadelphia, but in 1S88 owing to the 
great depression in business he discontinued it. 
Mr. Bellew attends the Church of the Sacred 
Heart and is actively identified with the Sunda\- 
school, being at ])resent superintendent. He 
has been a member of the Sacred Heart Teui- 
perance .Society for the past twenty years. May, 
1876, he was married to Mary A. Reilly of Paw- 
tucket, by which union there is one child, Mary 
A., b. Dec. 6, 1877. Mr. Bellew's father was 
born in Ireland, Feb. 3, 1815, but came to this 
country when he was a young man. 

BENNETT, John Hillman, H. D., was born 
in New Bedford, Mass., Dec. 12, 1869, and is 
the son of Samuel R. and Hannah A. (Ryder) 
Bennett. In the educational institutions of his 
native city he received his early training, grad- 
uating from the grammar and high schools and 
the Swain Free school. In the latter he was 
prepared for college. He entered Boston 
University School of Medicine in iS.S.S and 
was graduated in 1891 with the degree of 
M. I). When in college, in the la.st year of 
his studies, he was appointed resident physi- 
cian of the Consumptive Home at Roxbury, 



Mass. In this capacity he gained considerable 
experience in the treatment of pulmonary dis- 
eases. In Xewbury])ort and Dorchester, .Mass., 
after graduation, he .-itleiided the ])atients of 
two jiractitioners, during their temporary ab- 
sence. In the following year he became house 
surgeon of the Boothby Surgical Ho.spital, 
Boston, Mass. In 1893 he connnenced practice 
at Pawtucket, R. I., and at present is the 
attending jjhysiciau at the l'r()\-idence Homeo- 
jiathic I)ispensar\- and assistant surgeon at the 
Rhode Island Homeopathic Hospital. Dr. 
Bennett is a member of the Massachusetts 
Homeopathic Medical Soi'iet\ . the Rhode 
Island Homeopathic vSociet>', of which he is 
secretary, the Boston Homeopathic Society, and 
the Pawtucket Medical Association. He is a 
mendjer of Pacific Lodge, 12,^, I. (). O. F., of 
New Bedford, Mass., and also of the To Kalon 
Club of Pawtucket, belongs to the Pawtucket 
Congregational church, the Y. M. C. A., and is 
vice president of the F'ederal Council of the 
Brotherhood of Andrew and Philij). He is very 
much interested in music and has made some 
stud\- of the violin. 

BERRY, James B.. son of Thomas T. and 
Sarah R. (Slocum) Berry, was born in Paw- 
tucket, R. I., Nov. 2,^, 1856. He obtained his 
education in the public schools, was graduated 
from the Grove street grannnar school under P. 
E. Bishop, principal, in the spring of 1872, and 
attended the high school the fall and winter 
terms following. At the age of sixteen he went 
to work for his father in the undertaking busi- 
ness and has continued in it ever since. He 
has never engaged in any other trade. Early 
in his connection with the business he was 
stationed at Oak Grove cemetery, but is now in 
charge of the office and establishment at 7 Wal- 
cott street. Mr. Berry is a member of the Church 
of our F"ather (Universalist), and belongs to 
the Knights of Pythias, Charles E. Chickering 
Lodge. He is also an associate member of the 
(L A. K. He was married in 1878 to Clara A. 
Williams, of Seekonk, Mass., daughter of 
Baylies M. and Mary E. (Radloff) Williams. 
They have two children : Sadie .May, b. 1884, 
and Inez W., b. 1889. 



RIOr, R API! lES. 



251 



BERRY, Thomas Edward, son of Thomas 
T. and Sarah R. (Slociun) Berry, was born in 
Pawtuckt-t in 1S65. He went to the jmlilic 
schools nntil he was sixteen years oUl, and then 
attended a private school for a \ ear. He then 
became a salesman for J. B. Barnaliy & Co., of 
Pro\idence, in the clothing business, and re- 
mained in that position seven years, when he 
joined his father in conducting the undertaking 
business on Walcott street. In 1896 Mr. Berr\- 
was appointed by the city council, superintendent 
of the Mineral Spring and Oak Grove cemeteries, 
succeeding his father. In this office he has 
proved efficient and popular. He was married 
May 4, 1S92, to Ida L. Jenks, daughter of 
Pardon and Kli/.a J. Jenks of Pawtucket. The\- 
have one child by this union Edith J., b. in 
Pawtucket. Mr. Berry resides in an artistic 
colonial residence on North Bend street, which 
was built in 1894, and is one of the most 
attractive dw^ellings in Pawtucket. The house 
occupies a portion of what was formerly the farm 
of his maternal grandfather, Samuel vSlocum. 

BERRY, Thomas Thatcher, was born in 
Pawtucket, Ajiril 26, iS;,4. His father, Capt. 
Freeman Berry, who was born at Yarmouth, 
Ma.ss., April 17, 1808, and died at Pawtucket, 
March 22, 1894, was a seafaring man, and com- 
manded vessels and steamers running to Paw- 
tucket. His mother, Mahala (Phillips) Berry 
was born in Harwich, Mass., Aug. 26, 1808. 
Thomas went to school in Pawtucket until he 
was eighteen years of age. He then learned to 
be a toolmaker, and followed that occupation 
for 15 years, up to 1869. In that year he was 
appointed superintendent of Oak Grove ceme- 
tery, where he continued for 26 years. In 1872 
he took up the undertaking business, and has 
since carried it on. Mr. Berry is a member of 
the High street Universali.st church, and belongs 
to the Rhode Island I'niversalist Club. He is 
a member of the New England Undertakers 
Association, belongs to the Knights of Pythias 
and was the first president of the Endowment 
Rank when it was in.stituted. He is also a 
member of the Business Men's As.sociation and 
is one of tlie Pawtucket \'eteran Firemen. In 
1856 he was married to Sarah Radloff Slocuni 



of Pawtucket, R. I. l'"i\e children have been 
born to them two of whom siir\-i\e. 

BISHOP, Frank, son of I,ee II. and lunma 
J. ( P>ennett) Bishop, was born in 1 .S64 at Lisbon, 
Conn. When six years of age his parents 
moved to Jewett Cit.\', Conn., where he attended 
the connnon schools. When thirteen years old 
he went to work in the cotton mills of John F. 
.Slater. At the age of sixteen he took a position 
in the office of the A.shland Cotton Co.. Jewett 
Cit\-, and was assistant bookkeeper until 1885. 
He then went to Minneai)olis. Minn., with the 
Union Transfer Co., with whom he remained 
lor one \ ear, when he returned east and engaged 
with the Ashland Cotton Co., Jewett City, Conn., 
in his former position, where he remained imtil 
1 89 1. In that year he came to Pawtucket and 
was engaged by the Slater Cotton Co., to take 
charge of the office. He has charge of all 
accounts and is confidential clerk of the treas- 
urer. Mr. Bishop belongs to the Park Place 
Congregational church. He is Past Master of 
Mount Vernon Lodge of Masons, and a member 
of Reliance Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Jewett City. 
He was married in 1887 to I'Ala. C. Chapman of 
Jewett City, Conn., and they have had four 
children : Alice, b. Jewett Cit\", (deceased) ; 
Howard, b. Jewett City; Florence, b. Paw- 
tucket: Arnold, b. Pawtucket. 

The first American ancestor of the Bisho]) 
family settled at Phniouth in the last part of 
the seventeenth century, and members of the 
family soon after settled in Eastern Connecticut, 
where their descendants have since resided. 

BLAKE, Francis Nelson, the first child of 
Ezra N. and Rhoda T. (Bliss) Blake, was born 
in Wrentham, Mass., June 1 1, 1853. He attended 
the public schools of his native town until he 
attained his sixteenth year, and completed his 
education at the Wrentham Academy. In 1871 
he came to Pawtucket and was apprenticed to 
vSte]ihen R. Bucklin to learn blacksmithing. 
He served his time and remained with Mr. 
Bucklin seven years, during which period he 
saved sufficient money to enable him to start in 
Inisiness for himself. In 1878 he purchased a 
small .shop in the rear of ,^2,^ Main street from 
Henrv Luther and did all the work himself. 



I I.I, r ST rati: 1) history ()!• I'.wvTucKirr. 



He now occupies a three stor\ buikliiii;. 40 by 
84 feet, built on the same site ; it recjuires twenty- 
men to fill the orders for wagons and carriages, 
and his business is continually increasing. In 
politics .Mr. Blake is a Ueimblican. He attends 
the First Bapti.st church and is an active and 
prominent member of llie Odd I'ellows, .Ameri- 
can Mechanics, is I'ast Ca])lain in the Sons of 
\'eterans, and is a number and officer of the 
Order of Red Men. He has filled every chair in 
Ivnterprise Council, .\merican Mechanics, 
Sept. 5, iS7f), he was married to Mary V,. 
Cotton of Pawtuckel, b\- whicli union there is 
one child: Rhoda I,, b, .March 11, iS,S4. Mr, 
Blake traces his ancestors back on the maternal 
side to Noah Bli.ss, who was one of the thirtx- 
eiglit men who settled Rehoboth willi Rev, 
Samuel Xewiuan. His father was a larmer 
and was born in W'rentham, Ma.ss,, l''el)ruary, 
lS2_-^, and tiled .Sept. 12, i,S62 from the effects 
of a gun shot wound received at the second 
battle of Hull Run while serxiug in the Union 
Army, 

BLISS, Frank Norton, the first child of 
Francis \'. and Sarah W'lieaton (Norton) Bliss, 
was born in Taunton, Mass,, Ma\- 21, 1^53, 
He attended the ])ublic schools until he was 
sixteen years old, then learned the painter's 
trade, and in seven years saved enough from his 
earnings to establish himself in business in i.sjfi. 
He pro.spered from the start and now conducts 
a well established and successful painting and 
paper hanging business at .S6 North Main street, 
Pawtucket. Politicall\- he is a Republican, 
In fraternal affairs he is an Odd Fellow. Jul\ , 
1891 he was married to Mary A. Rhodes .Vngell 
of Pawtuckel. His father was born in Reho- 
bolh, .Mass., Feb, 2S. 1S25, and his mother was 
l)orn in Seekonk, Mass,, in iS^ei, 

BLODQETT, Edward Griffin, was born in 
Pawtucket, Mass., July 21, 18.^9, and was the 
fourth child of the Rev. Constantine and Han- 
nah Maria (Dana) Blodgett, His lather was 
for thirty-five years the jiastor of the Congrega- 
tional church, junction of Walcott street and 
Broadway, and was a man nniversall>' loved and 
respected. The grandfather, Benjamin Blod- 
gett, was a farmer in \'ermont, and some of his 




EDV/ARD G, BLODGETT, 

JNDER OF BLODGETT 1 ORSwELL 



sons, the older brothers of the Re\-. Mr. 
Pilodgett, took ])art in the war of 1S12, 

I'.dward (', . lilodgett received his education 
at the rniversil\- (irammar .School of l'ro\-i- 
dence and at Andier.st College, but left before 
completing his course of stuih-. He then 
engaged in business for two >ears, at the end 
of which time he went to the Hawaiian Islands 
where he remained six months. From there he 
went to California, and was a member of the 
first company of gold seekers that entered 
.Arizona. He remained there until after the 
war of the rebellion, when he returned to Paw- 
tucket and was employed by the R. I). Mason 
Co., bleachers and dyers, with whom he 
renuiined for about 20 years. While so engaged 
he also began to manufacture \arii on his own 
account, and about iS.S^ hu formed a ])artner- 
shi]i with Ivdnnnid W. Orswell undi'i- the name 
of Blodgett .\; Orswell. The business was 
incorporated in 1.SS7 as the Blodgett .K: Orswell 
Co. Till- same year the partners started the 
Pawtucket I)\eing 6t Bleaching Co,, with works 
at Lebanon, and this business was also incor- 
porat(.(l. Mr. Blodgett was jiresident of both 
these corjiiirations fmni their organization until 



I5IO('. R.\ I'll I !■: s. 



liis (leatli April 3, iSi)4. He was a fiiK- t\])c-- nl 
tliL' cmisciriilidus hiisiiicss man. hoiiL'Sl, lair, 
carelul and candid. In social life he was genial 
and CDurlfous, jinpular with his associates and 
helovfd 1)\ his friends. In politics he was a 
Rfjndilican, l>nt his bnsiness occupied so much 
of his lime that he ne\er was a candidate for 
any public office. He attended the Congrega- 
tional church, of which his father was pastor so 
man)- years, and he was born in the old parson- 
age which stood on Walcott street. He was 
married in 187S to Nora, daughter of Charles 
A. Leonard, who survives him. Three children 
were born to them, of whom two are living, a 
son and a daughter. 

BLODOETT, William Winthrop, the third 
child nf Ivly and lu'ne lilodgett, was born in 
Randolj)h, Vt., July S, i,S24. He attended the 
Orange county grammar school of his native 
town, and completed his education in Rurling- 
ton at the University of \'ermont, from which 
he was graduated in 1847. He read law with Judge 
Isaac H. Redfield, was admitted to the bar in 1850, 
and at once commenced the practice of law in 
I'awtucket, Mass. He represented Pawtucket 
in the lower hou.se of the Massachusetts 
legislature in 1859-60, and was the first senator 
from Pawtucket in the Rhode Island legislature 
after the adjustment of the state boundary line 
in 1862. Since then at various times he has 
represented Pawtucket for twenty years in the 
lower house of the Rhode Island legislature. 
He has been judge of the Pawtucket Probate 
Court for the past 25 years, is commissioner 
of insolvency for Massachusetts, and is a Rhode 
Island bank commissioner. Judge Blodgett is 
an attendant of St. Paul's Episcopal church. Oct. 
y. 1855, he was married to vSalome W. Kinsley 
of Pawtucket, by which union there seven child- 
ren, Ellen Hobart, b. Jul\- ,^0, 1856; Edward 
Wilkinson, b. Sept. 27, 1857; William Con.stan- 
tine ; Lloyd Morton, b. Feb. 23, 1863; John, b. 
April 15, 1867; Chaunce\- Ha>-den, b. March 23, 
1870; and Kinsle\-, b. h'eb 3, 1874. 

BOARDHAN, William Howard, the son of 
James and Iili/.al)eth (Howard) Boardman, was 
born in Lincoln, R. I. Aug 9, 1862, and is of 
luiglish descent, his ])arenls having come to 



America in iSs'>. He obtained his education 
in the Lonsdale ])ublic schools. When 17 years 
old he went to work in the drug store of A. L. 
Calder, 16,^ Westminster street, Providence, 
where he remained for nine years, and by study 
and experience became a first-class pharmacist. 
May 13, 1889, he purchased from H. \\'. Porter 
6c Co., the drug store at 1661 Lonsdale avenue, 
which he has since successfully conducted. By 
attending to all the details of his business, and 
catering to local wants, he has developed the 
business much beyond its original proportions. 
Mr. Boardman is an enthusiastic sportsman, is a 




WILLIAM H. BOARDMAN, 

DRUGGIST. LONSDALE. 

good shot and knows how to handle a rod. He 
is a Republican in ])olitics. He is genial and 
companionable and belongs to many societies, 
among which are: ITnion Lodge, No. 10, A. F. 
and .\. M.; Pawtucket Royal Arch Chapter, 
Xo. 4; Pawtucket Council, No. 2, R. and S. 
Masters; Holy Sepulchre Commandery, No. 8; 
Palestine Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., Provi- 
dence, R. I. Sept. 30, 1885, he was married to 
Maud Rouse Eastwood, daughter of Eastwood 
ICastwood of Central Falls, and they have two 
children: Ethel E., b. June 26, 1887, d. Aug. 



254 



I LI,rSTRAT]';i) HISTORY OF rAWTUCKI'T. 



26, i8S(): ami Ivistwuod Howard, 1). Oct. 5. 
1889. 

BORDEN, Frank H., Hk- second child of 
Aljihciis and Hannah \V. (Cohvell) Borden, was 
born in Pawtncket, April 18, 1S63. He went lo 
school nntil he was fifteen years old, when he 
went to work in the dry j;oods house of Small 
& Harley as a clerk. He continued in that 
capacity throusi^h the various chan>^es of the 
firm, but upon the incorporation of the I)a\id 
Harley Co, in 1S93, he was elected secretar\- 
and still holds that position. Mr. Borden is a 
scion of the well-known Fall River faniil\- of 
manufacturers, and his father was born in that 
city. In politics he is a Republican. He is a 
member of the Park Place Congregational 
church, belongs to the (k)od F'ellows, and is a 
Knight of Pythias. June 6, iSSS, he was mar 
ried to Mary E. B.acon of Pawtucket. 

BOURNE, Arthur Orville, the fourth child 
of Henry Or\-ille and Jane Ma.son (Case) Bourne, 
was born in Pawtucket, March 20, 1871. He 
attended the grannnar and high schools until 
he was 17 years old, when he became a clerk in 
the store of George C. Peck. His clo.se appli- 
cation to business and his intelligent compre- 
hension of the matters intrusted to his care soon 
attracted the attention of his employer and on 
May I, 1894, he was admitted as a partner, 




ARTHUR O. BOURNE, 

OF GEO. C. PECK 4 CO 



under the firm name of (ieorge C. Peck it Co. 
Mr. I'.ourne's ancestors lived for man\- genera- 
tions in Rehoboth and Seekonk. His grand- 
father, .\lmond ()r\-ille Bourne, was born May 
4, 1809, in Rehoboth : his grandmother, Char- 
lotte Delia Fitts, was l)orn Jan. 9, i .s i i in See- 
konk: his father was born in Seekonk, April ;-,. 
1S33, and his mother was born in the same 
place March i,-\. 1841. In jiolitics Mr, lioiirne 
is a Republican, He attends the Park Place 
C(Higregational church. 

BOWEN, Charles Artemus, fifth chikl of 
Reuben and .Sarah .\nn (Cicorge) Bowen, was 
born in Rehoboth, Mass., Aj)ril 10, i.S4,S. He 
went to school until he was eighteen years old 
and then followed the occupation of a farmer 
until he attained his 29th \ear. In iS,S6 he 
joined his brothers-in-law, Leroy Iv, and Nathan 
Bowen, as a partner in the firm of P)Owen Bros., 
wholesale and commission merchants in hay, 
grain and produce, at Nos. 35 to 39 Broadway, 
Pawtucket, and has since continued in that firm 
and business. Mr. Bowen's father was born in 
Rehoboth, Oct. 15, 1812 ; and his mother was 
born in W'rentham, Mass. In politics he is a 
Republican. He is a member of the F'irst Bap- 
tist church. March, 1870, he was married to 
Nancy P. Bowen of Rehoboth, b}- which union 
there are four children : (irace Amelia, b. Dec. 
26, 1872, d. Dec. 2, 1S85: Jessie May, b. Sept. 
9, 1874; Ethel Louise, b. Dec. i, 1877: Louis 
Mason, b. July 25, 1880, d. Fel). 10, 1895, His 
wife was born March 3. 1852. 

BOWEN, Edward S., son of Clovis II. and 
Nancy W. (Steere) Bowen, was born May 9, 
1850, in the village of Chepachet, town of (jIo- 
ce.ster, R. I. He attended the public schools 
until he was fifteen years old and then took a 
year's course in the Suffield Literary Institution, 
vSuffield, Conn. His first occupation was as 
bookkeeper at the Glen River woolen mills, 
Pascoag, R, I., where he continued two years. 
He then came to Pawtucket, went to work for 
vSmith Grant i.\: Co., and has continued with 
that firm and its successor the Newell Coal <S: 
Lumber Co., e\-er since. He is now treasurer 
of the cor])oration, and is also a director of tile 
Slater Cotton Co, In politics Mr, Bowen is a 



BIO(iRAPHIl':S. 



255 



Democrat. lie is an attendant of the Congre- 
gational churcli, and belongs to the Franklin 
Society of Providence. Sept. 1.S87 he was mar- 
ried to Elma S. Brown of Providence, and the\ 
lia\e three children : lulith, Joseph B., and 
h'aith. Mr. Bowen's grandfather, Dr. Joseph 
BowL-n, was liorn in Providence, R. I., in 1756, 
and was surgeon on the privateer "Chance" 
during the war of the revolution. His father, 
Clovis H. Bowen, who was born May 9, 1801, 
on the corner of Bowen and North Main street. 
Providence, was for thirty -two successive years 
town clerk of Glocester, R.I. 

BOWEN, Clovis H., was born in Glocester, 
R. I., Aiiril, 2,^, 1853, and is 
the son of Clovis H. and 
Nancy W. (Steere) Bowen. 
He attended the public schools 
of Franklin, Mass., until he 
was seventeen years old, then 
entered West Point Military- 
Academy, and was graduated 
in the class of '76. His first 
occupation was that of a clerk 
for Smith Grant & Co., Paw- 
tucket, with which concern 
he remained about a year. 
He then worked a number of 
years for C. H. George & Co. 
of Providence. Afterwards 
he was bookkeeper with the 
Bar.stow Stove Co., and re- 
signed that position to take treasuber of th 
charge of the affairs of 
N. S. Collyer & Co., which firm was later 
reorganized as the Collyer Machine Co.. 
and Mr. Bowen became treasurer and general 
manager, which positions he now holds. In 
politics Mr. Bowen is a Democrat, He is an 
attendant of the Pawtucket Congregational 
church, is a member of the Pawtucket Business 
Men's Association and is a thirty-second degree 
Mason. Sept. 6, 1877, he was married to Mar\- 
E., daughter of Samuel S. Collyer, who was 
for so many 3-ears the chief of Pawtucket's fire 
department. By this union there is one child : 
Edward, born Dec. 5, 1884. 




CLOVIS H. BOWEN 

ER OF THE COLLYER MAI 



BOWEN, Leroy Everett, the .second child 
of Otis P. and Ruth A. (Pearce) Bowen, was 
born in Warren, R. I., March i, 1854. His 
])aternal grandfather, Darius Bowen, was born 
in Rehoboth, Ma.ss., March i, 1790, and died 
there Oct. 7, 1862 ; he married Nancy Peck of 
the same place, who was born Jan. 19, 17S7, 
and died March, 1831. His maternal grand- 
father, Gamaliel Pearce, was born in Dighton 
Mass., Aug. 15, 1799, and died Aug. 13, 1878 ; he 
married Persis Baker, who was born in Rehoboth 
Jul\- 4, 1804, and died March 25, 1886. Leroy's 
father was born in Rehoboth, Ma.ss., March 3, 
1827 and was a ship builder and farmer ; and 
he married Ruth A. Pearce 
of Dighton, Mass., April 13, 
1832. L,er03' attended the 
jniblic schools of Rehoboth 
until he was nineteen years 
old. For several j-ears he 
worked on a farm ; but find- 
ing this employment uncon- 
genial to his tasteSj he became 
a clerk in a grocerj- store at 
Somerset, Mass., where he 
remained a few years. Com- 
ing to Pawtucket in 1879 he 
worked in a market and pro- 
duce store for Ruel S. Dar- 
ling, and then in the whole- 
sale commission house of N. 
W. Whipple. April, 1884, 
he established his present 
business in partnership with 
his brother Nathan and his brother-in-law 
Charles A. Bowen, under the firm name of 
Bowen Bros., and that firm now conducts an 
e.Ktensive business as wholesale and commission 
dealers in grain, straw and produce at Nos. 35 
to 39 Broadway. The business has been suc- 
cessful from its beginning and is constantly 
increasing. In politics Mr. Bowen is a Repub- 
lican. He attends the Broadway Baptist 
church. October 19, 1887, he was married to 
Carrie I. Luther of Rehoboth, Mass., by which 
union there have been fi\-e children, Eunice L., 
b. Jan. 6, 1S89 ; Howard P., b. Dec. 29, 1889, 



256 



I LLUSTRATICD lIISTt)RV OF 1' A W T T C K ICT 



d. Oct. 15, 1S90: Ral])!! F., li. A])ril 2S, 1S93, 
tl. Jan. I. iSys: ami Marjoiie- I,., 1). Oct. 29, 
1S94. 

BOWEN, Nathan, the luurtli child nl Otis 
P. and Ruth A. (Peaicc) Howtii, was hnni in 
Rehoboth, Mass., Nov. 26, 1859. He attended 
the public schools of his native town until he 
was seventeen years old, when he left home in 
the fall of 1877, and learned the wood-turning- 
trade. He followed this occupation until vSejjt. 
I, 1882, when he entered Bryant & Stratton's 
Business College, Providence, R. I., but left in 
June, 1883, before his graduation to take a posi- 
tion as bookkeeper with Ira Winsor & Co., 
steam and gas ]iipe fitters, Providence. He 
remained with that cducern until ^Fay, 1S84. 
He beiaine l)ookkeeper in vSe])tember, 1884, for 
N. W. \\'hii)ple. dealer in hay, .straw, grain 
and produce in Pawtucket. Feb. i, 18S7, in 
company with his brother, Leroy li. P.owen and 
his brother-in-law Charles A. Bowen, he started 
the firm of Bowen Bros., wholesale and commis- 
sion dealers in hay, .straw% grain and produce, 
at 35 to 39 Broadway, Pawtucket. Mr. Bowen 
is a Republican, and is an active member of the 
Garfield Club. He attends the First Baptist 
church. June 8, 1887, he was married to Clara 
E. Pierce of Taunton, Mass., by which union 
there is one child, Ruth A., b. Sept. 29, 1891. 

BRAY, Allen Farris, the son of Reuben 
and Elizabeth (Homer) Bray, was born in Yar- 
mouth, Mass., May 11, 1848. For generations 
the family resided on Cape Cod, and its mem- 
bers have been sailors, .shipbuilders, and .ship 
captains, and were noted for longevity. 
Allen attended the public schools of his 
native town until he was fourteen years old, 
when he became a clerk in a general store in 
Yarmouth, but soon went to Brew.ster, Mass., 
where he obtained a similar situation, which he 
retained until 1868, when his father died. He then 
returned home and settled his father's estate. 
In 1869 he came to Central Falls and was 
employed by Isaac F. Crocker for eight years. 
In 1877 he purchased the store of George A. 
Mumford, under the Gazette and Chronicle's 
office, in the Manchester block, at 25 North 
Main street. In 1879 he bought out the busi- 



ness of the Charles M. Read Co., at 86 Main 
■Street, and conducted it in connection with his 
North Main street store ; but in 1883 he removed 
the stock from the latter establishment to the 
old Read store, where he remained until 1889, 
when the busine.ss was removed to its pre.sent 
conunodious quarters in the Benedict House 
building, at 305 Main and 10 Broad streets. In 
1879 he took his brother I'erdinand, into ])art- 
nership and the .style of the firm became A. F'. 
iS: F. ]5ray. The house carries a general line of 
hardware, mechanics' tools and farming im])le- 
nients, and also deals in firearms, ammunition, 
fi.shing tackle, seeds, etc. Mr. Bra\- was a 
charter member of the I'awtucket Business 
Men's Association. He was married in 1884 to 
Etta Louise Standing of Fall River, and they 
have three children, Homer Standing, b. Ma\' 
29, 1886 ; Louise Whitfield, b. Sept. 19, 1889 ; 
Allen Farris, Jr., b. Nov. 29, 1893. 

BRAY, Ferdinand, a son of Reuben and 
Elizabeth (Homer) liray, was born in Yarmouth, 
Mass., April 21, 1859. His father died in 1869, 
but his mother lived until 1896. Ferdinand 
attended the public schools of his native town 
until he was twelve years old. In 1872 he came 
with his mother and sisters to live in Central 
Kalis, whither his brother Allen F. Bray had 
preceded him about three years. For three 
years he went to school in Central Flails, and 
then engaged as a salesman with the hardware 
house of Belcher Bros, of Providence, July 19, 
1874, where he remained until he went to work 
for his brother as a clerk in the hardware busi- 
ness. In 1879 he became a partner in the firm, 
which then took the present name of A. F. iS: 
l^. Bray, and is now one of the largest houses in 
this line of business in the state of Rhode 
Island. Mr. Bray joined Company F\ 2d Batta- 
lion Infantry, Rhode Island Militia, in 1881, 
and two j-ears later was promoted to be ist 
lieutenant and comnii.ssary of the ist Battalion 
Cavalry, which position he holds at present. 
He is an associate member of Tower Post, No. 
17, G. A. R., and belongs to the Business Men's 
Association and the Garfield Club. Mr. Bray 
belongs to the following Masonic bodies: Union 
Lodge, No. 10, A. F". and A. M., Pawtucket; 



B I O G R A P HI !•: S , 



257 



Pawtucket Royal Arch Chapter No. 4; Paw- 
tucket Council No. 2, Royal and Select Masters ; 
Holy Sepulchre Commandery, K. T., No. 8, 
Pawtucket; Rhode Island Consi.story, A. and A., 
Scotti.sh Rite, Providence; and al.so the Queen 
Esther Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star No. 
2, Pawtucket, and Palestine Temple, A. A. O. 
N.. Mystic Shrine, Providence. He was married 
to Mary T., daughter of John T. Cottrell, Sept. 
20, 1887, and they have had four children : 
Gertrude Cottrell, b. Sejit. 22, 18S8; Florence 
Allen, b. April 3, 1892: Reuben Thurston, b. 
Nov. II, 1893, d. May I, 1895; Ferdinand Hray, 
Jr., b. May 1 1, 1896. 

BRIQQS, Hiram Augustus, the third son 
of Hiram Augustus and Almira ( Harris) Briggs, 
was born in Pawtucket, Jan. 4, 1841, in the old 
red house that occupied the site west of where 
the Evans and Deacon building now stands on 
Main street, and overhanging it was the famous 
old mulberrj' tree. His father was born in Cov- 
entry, R. I., commenced life in a very humble 
wa>', but in 1846 he associated himself with 
Alexander King under the firm name of Briggs 
& King, dealers in cotton waste, on the corner 
of Exchange and Depot .streets. In 1848 Mr. 
King retired, when Mr. Briggs's brother Russell 
entered into partnenship with him, and the firm 
name became H. A. Briggs iV Co. Russell 
Briggs died in 1868, but the old firm name 
has since been retained. Mr. Briggs was a 
man of indefatigable energy- and perseverance, 
and through his foresight and persi.stent indus- 
tr}- became wealthy. He was straightforward in 
all his dealings and was a man of sterling 
integrity and honestj-. He died in Germany in 
1877, aged 64. His son, Hiram A., was educa- 
ted at the Church Hill school, Pawtucket, at 
the Barre Academy, Barre, \'l., and took a 
commercial course at Scliolfield's Commercial 
College in Providence. For four years, begin- 
ning Ma\' I, i860, he acted as clerk in his 
father's office at a salary of $5.00 per week, 
but his board only cost $2.50. In 1S64 he was 
admitted into the business as a partner with one- 
fourth interest. From the income thus derived, 
he purchased a half interest with his father. 
Shortlv after his father's death he became sole 



owner, and has since conducted the business 
alone. 

He is a member of the Business Men's 
Association, a director of the Pacific Bank, and 
is a director and member of the executive com- 
mittee of the American Yarn Manufacturing Co. 
He has attended the Fir.st Universalist church 
for 30 years, and sensed on the board of trustees 
for fifteen years. Nov. i, 1865, he was married 
to Emilj- Glea.son Dean of Attleboro, Mass., who 
was born April 28, 1840, and died Feb. 20, 
1883. By this union there is one child : Charles 
Augustus, b. Sept. 20, 1872, who is now in the 
office with his father. 

BROOKS, William James, was born in 
Hopeville, Conn., March i, 1836, and was the 
fourth child of George and Marian Hamilton 
(Murdock) Brooks, who came to this countrj- 
from Scotland early in the century. He attended 
school in his native town, and also in Jewett 
City, Conn., and Philadelphia, Pa., and com- 
pleted his education at the Plainfield, Conn., 
Academy. He was then apprenticed to a cigar 
manufacturer in Centerville, R. I., and worked 
as a journeyman until he was twent}--one years 
of age. In June, 1857, he enlisted for five years 
in the United States Army in the ordinance 
department at Bridesburg Arsenal, Pa., and 
accompanied the Utah expedition to Salt Lake 
City, where he participated in the Utah troubles 
and actively engaged in Indian warfare. He 
was honorably discharged, having attained the 
rank of sergeant. At the expiration of his 
time he went to California and worked in the 
mines, returning by Panama to Providence, 
where he worked at his trade for difierent con- 
cerns until 1 87 1, when he became foreman for 
.Squire Z. Phinney, the well-known cigar manu- 
facturer, and has continued in this capacity for 
the past twenty-five years. Mr. Brooks is a 
Repulilican. He attends St. Paul's Episcopal 
church, is an Odd Fellow, and is Commander 
of General N. A. Miles, Garrison No. 7, of Prov- 
idence, of the Regular Army and Navy Union. 
He was married to Marj- E. Blanchard of Prov- 
idence, May 31, 1870, and they have five child- 
ren: ICIlen I., b. Sept. 17, 1871 ; Marian H., b. 
Jan. 30, 1874; Harriet I'... b. March 29, 1876; 



258 



ILLUS'PRATI'D HISTORY OK PAWTCCKIvT. 



William P., 1). Oct. 23, 1SS2 ; Hcihtrl II., h. 
Nov. 14, 1SS4. 

BROWN, James S., the son of Sylviunis 
Urowii, Iiecanie one of the forenio.st inaiiufac- 
turers of cotton niachinerj' in the United States. 
He was born in the village of Pawtucket, North 
Providence, Dec. 23, 1802, in a low ganibrel- 
roofed house that stood on Quaker lane, — after- 
wards Pleasant .street — on the site now occupied 
by 42 and 44 East avenue. The house was 
built by Sylvanus Bnnvn, and after his tleatli 
came into the possession of his sou. It was 
moved years ago to a location on Marriu street, 
between Pine and (5eorge .streets, and still 
stands, changed in appearance. In its rear in 
the original location stood the little shop where the 
elder Brown made the patterns for Samuel .Slater's 
first machinery and which subsequently formed 
the northerly portion of the old Weeden bakerw 
When the bakery was remodelled, Cajit. Brown 
jirocured the frame of the old slio]) and rcmo\-ed 
it to his >ar(l. It was in tliis old house on 
Pleasant street that .Syl\-anus Brown died in 
Pawtucket, Jul\- 30, 1.S24. Philij), grandlatlier 
of James S., was descended from one of four bro- 
thers who emigrated from Wales and settled in 
the town of Cundierland, R. I. There they 
engaged in mining coal and iron ore, and the 
l>usiness was inherited l>\ Pliilip and carried on 
by him until his death, when it was abandoned. 
The site of one of the furnaces was near the ])res- 
ent gate house of the Pawtucket water works 
at the mouth of the Abbott Run, and in exca- 
vating tor the foundation of that structure a 
number of the timl)ers of the old furnace were 
exhumed. 

James went to school in North Providence 
until he was fifteen years of age, when he entered 
the employ of David Wilkinson, whose nuuhine 
shop was then in the basement of the O/.iel 
Wilkin.son stone mill, rear of Mill .street. He 
learned the business of pattern-making, luuing 
during his school vacations assisted his father 
on that branch of woodwork. In 1.^19 he went 
to work in the machine shop of Pitcher & Oay, 
which was started in 1S13, on Main streets on or 
near the site of the " New mill " and afterwards 
removed to the " Stone mill " on the opjjosite 



side of the river, and subsequently to the adjoin- 
ing "Yellow" now the "Bridge mill. " It was 
then the largest coni-ern of its kind in the place. 
.Mr. Cay retired in 1S24 and Mr. Brown suc- 
ceeded to his place and interest in the firm, the 
name being changed to Pitcher & Brown. In 
1842 Mr. Brown purchased his partner's interest 
and continued business on the same ])remises 
until 1850. 

The slide rest used on turning lathes by 
which the height of the tool can be adjusted 
while the lathe is in motion, was invented by Mr. 
Brown while in the employ of Pitcher & Gay, 
in 1820. In 1830 he invented a machine for 
cutting bevel gears. In 1838 he patented a 
machine for boring the i)assage for roving 
through the arm of the long flyer roving ma- 
chine, and in 1842 his lathe for longitudinally- 
turning bodies of irregular forms was patented. 

After the introduction of the celebrated 
Sharp & Roberts patent self-acting mule into 
this countrs-, Mr. Brown turned his attention 
to their manufacture, and in building these 
machines ac([uired a re])ulation second to no 
machinist in the United .States. These mules 
were first introduced into the Ihiited .States b\- 
Major Bradford Durfee, of Fall River, Ma.ss., in 
the year 1839-40. Major Durfee was the agent 
of the Aiuiawan cotton mill at Fall River, and 
\isited iMirope on business connected with this 
company. While in Ivngland he purchased of 
.Sharp & Roberts six of their nuile head stocks. 
They were shipped to some port in F' ranee, 
whence they were reshipped to this country and 
forwarded to Mr. Durfee at Fall River. P'rom 
F'all River they were sent to Pitcher & Brown at 
Pawtucket, who put them together and the\- 
were successfully operated in the mills in P'all 
Ri\er. The finst .Sharp & Roberts self-operating 
mules made in this countr\- were built by Pitcher 
cK: Brown for S. B. & H. Chace, ol Yalley Falls. 
Mr. Brown ajiplied himself with great diligence 
to ])erfecting and simplifying the work on this 
nuile invention, making man\ new and ingeni- 
ous tools for the purpo.se. 

The castings used b\- him in his works were 
]irocured from the foundr\- of (leueral .Shepanl 
I<each, in Kaston, Mass., up to 1847. In that 



HIO(UiAPH lES. 



259 



year he bous^ht three and a half acres of huul on 
Main street, on wliich lie erected a foundry 40 
by .So feet, and made his first castings there 
Dec. 31, 1S47. In iS49he erected a large brick 
machine shop 400 feet long, 60 feet wide and 
two and one-half stories in height, with a large 
wing containing a powerful steam engine. Hav- 
ing decided to build, but not finding in the 
market such bricks as he required, he purchased 
Bucklin's island, in Pavvtucket river, which 
consisted of a fine bed of clay and manufactured 
his own bricks. His .shop was built entirely of 
these bricks. The hou.se in the corner of the 
A'ard, next to the premises of W. H. Haskell & 
Co., was moved from Bucklin's island to its 
present location about 1852, and was towed to 
the wharf from the i.sland on two scows. The 
master mason of the large machine .shop was 
Capt. Lsrael Lee. In 1859 a substantial pattern 
house, 40 by 72 feet, 2J2 .stories above the base- 
ment, was built, and sev^eral other smaller build- 
ings, for various uses, all so conveniently arranged 
and admirably adapted to their several purposes 
as to make this one of the largest and most com- 
plete establishments of its kind in the country. 
The tools in this establishment were nearly all 
of them built by Mr. Brown and for many of 
them he obtained patents. 

The vSharp & Roberts mule, and the long 
tl\er speeder, were the only cotton manufactur- 
ing machines which Mr. Brown had built for 
several j'ears before the war of the rebellion. 
When the English fly-frame was being generally 
introduced, he was urged by many manufactur- 
ers to build that machine for them ; but he 
steadih- refused to do .so, with a firmness that 
set-meil to them almost like obstinacy, insi-sting 
upon it that the>- were not what manufacturers 
of cotton wanted, and that the American long- 
fl\er roN'ing machine could be rendered far 
superior to the English fly-frame. He turned 
his attention to the improvement of the Ameri- 
can speeder. Alter careful study and many 
experiments, he succeeded in accomiilishing the 
desired resuU, and took out a jiatent for his 
inipnixemenl in January, 1857. The result 
Inllv xerilied the correctness of his opinion. 
Almost hum the time that he took out his 



])alent for his imjirovements, the demands of 
manufacturers compelled him to abandon the 
building of mules, and to turn the whole force 
of his shop to the coiistruction of his patent 
speeder. Mr. Brown's improved lathe for 
longitudinalh turning bodies of irregular forms 
was designed for making cotton machinery rolls, 
but after the outbreak of the war it was found 
to be well adapted for the manufacture of mus- 
kets. As a result, during the war his large 
establishment was engaged in making tools and 
machines for turning gun-barrels, giving emplo\-- 
ment to about 300 men. 

Subsequent to 1862 Mr. Brown built the 
machines for the American File Works and put 
them in succe.ssful operation. He also invented 
a machine for grinding file-blanks, and a furnace 
for hardening files. After the close of the war, 
he manufactured the so-called Parke, Curtis & 
Madley mule, an English machine, which met 
with much favor among manufacturers. In this 
mule he made important and valuable improve- 
ments for which he .secured patents. In the 
latter part of his life he was much interested in 
the manufacture of malleable iron, for which 
he constructed a foundry near his machine shop, 
at great expense. 

When Mr. Brown was about six years old 
he met with an accident which nearly destroyed 
the sight of one eye. About 1874 his unim- 
paired eye became affected and he underwent a 
useless operation towards its improvement. But 
the eye injured when a youth, strange to saj", 
allowed him to dimly distinguish forms and 
night from da\'. It is thought that the intense 
heat encountered daily in this malleable iron 
furnace was the cause of his final blindne.ss, as 
he would remain for hours with the strong 
white heat from the furnace thrown full upon 
his optics. He enjoyed, till near the end of his 
life, the most robust health, which had never 
been impaired by luxurious indulgence or foolish 
excesses, anil he died Dec. 29, 1879, at the age 
of 77. 

Mr. Brown was energetic, prudent, indus- 
trious and iierlectly temperate. His tools and 
nuuliineix were built regardless of cost, to do 
good work. He was not a public man. He did 



26o 



ILLUSTRATlCD n I STORY OP I'AWTUC K HT. 



not seek or acce])t any kind of ]iul)lic offici.'. 
He had enligliteiifd views and positisx- opinions 
upon all questions of political, social and moral 
interest ; but was not given to intermeddling; in 
the management of affairs outside of his domes- 
tic and business relations. He was kind-hearted 
and between him and man>' of his old em]iloyees 
there existed tender and liarnionious relations. 
ICschewinu- entirely politii-al and jmblic prefer- 
ment he devoted himself wIkiIIn l<i his business. 
His dail\- jonrncNS to and from llic slio]) were 
as regular as those of the siui, and his florid 
countenance and stout frame made him a con- 
spicuous figure on the street. In ]ioIitics he was 
a staunch Whig and Kepidilican. The war 
aroused his patriotism tn a high ])iteh, and 
he contributed liberallx' towards arming and 
equi])ping the soldiers. In April, iSdi. he 
erected a flagstaff near liis works and Hung a 
splendid flag to the breeze. 

Mr. Brown was married Feb. 23, 1829, to 
Sarah 1". Oridlex', a sister of Benjamin Gridle>- 
who owned the old house on the corner of Main 
and WMng .streets. They li\ed in the old house 
on Pleasant street until i^.vS, when they re- 
moved to the new mansion house on Walcott 
street, then iust completed. Here Mr. Brown 
resided the rest of liis life. Three of his child- 
ren were born in the old house: Agnes (who 
died Noung), .\bb\ O. (Mrs. Thomas K. King), 
and Mar\ 1). (Mrs. Charles A. Warland), and 
James the onl\ son and youngest child was born 
in the house on Walcott street. 

BROWN, James, son of James S., and 
grandson of S\ Kanus Brown, was born in Paw- 
tucket, Mass., Dec. iS, i.S^S, in his father's 
mansion house on Walcott street. He attended 
the i)ublic schools of Pawtucket until he was 
eighteen years old when he entered Lyon and 
P'rize's ITniversity Grannner school, Providence, 
from which he was graduated in 1858. He then 
learned to be a machinist in his father's sho]i, 
and continued to work there until he succeeded 
to the business on the death of his father in 
1S79. Since then lie has carried on the large 
machine .shops and has followed worlhilx in 
the footstejjs of his father and gran<lfather. 
In ])olitics Mr. Brown has been an ardent 



Republican. He represented the fourth ward 
in the counnon council Iroin 1 888 to 1892, was 
president of the council from 1889 to 1891, and 
nuiNorol the cit\ in 1 Nij,v He belongs to the 
Pawtucket Business Men's Association, and is a 
member of the St. Paul's Episcopal church. 
May 1864 he was married to Susan A. Aldrich 
of r.xbridge, Mass., b\- whicii union there are 
three children ; Ruth ,S.. .\lice J., and James S. 
BURROW, William Trubee, the nuiuager 
of the Olenlyon Uyeworks, Sayles\ille, was 
born in Leeds, P)ngland in 1839, and was edu- 
cated at a j^rivate school in Halifax, Phigland. 
His father, John Puurow, was successively 
manager of the dye works of Thomas Haigh & 
Sons, dyers, Leeds; then for 20 years for Jo.seph 
Mosem Kirk, Halifax, England, and later for 
Oates, Ingham & Sons of Bradford. When 
fourteen years of age William T. became clerk 
in the office of Joseph Moxem Kirk. He mas- 
tered the business so throughly that when nine- 
teen years old he was promoted by Mr. Kirk to 
be manager of the branch works at Bowling, 
Bradford, which position he held for six years. 
In 1864 he became assistant manager of the 
main plant of the Kirks, one of the largest con- 
cerns in P^ngland. Later he was engaged as 
manager of William Dodd «.\: Co., Manche.ster, 
in the fini.shing of cotton fabrics. The death 
of Mr. Dodd caused him to accept an engage- 
ment to assi.st James Haywood of Sackville 
street, Manchester, in perfecting an improved 
self-acting clip tenter, with Mather &: Piatt of 
vSalford. After this was brought out he went to 
Oates, Ingham &; Sons to assist his father who 
was general manager, where he stayed about 
three years, and then accepted an engagement 
with John Bottrell & Co. of Leeds, dyers and 
finishers. Two years later he went back to 
Oates, Ingham iS: Co., to lake charge of the 
crabbing and singeing departments. This posi- 
tion he filled until the year 1873, when he and 
his lather were given an interest in the business 
of S. i\: L. Margerison, Bradford, jiiece and 
\arn dvers. His lather became general man- 
ager, but died soon after entering ui)on his 
duties as such, and William T. succeeded to 
the i;osiliou, which he held until 1.S79. Ma\-, 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



261 



1.S81), he engaged with the New York Dyeing 
it Printing Co. In the year 1882 he took charge 
of the tlnisliing and dyeing departments ol the 
Arlington Milks, Lawrence, Mass. In the fall 
of 1883 he became manager of the dlenlyon 
Dyeworks at Saylesville, for W. V. !<c V . C. 
Sayles. The works were then in their inlanew 
He has held that position since then, and under 
his management the plant has been greatl\ 
de\eloped. Mr. Burrow is a member of the 
Sayles Memorial Chapel Congregational Church, 
and acted as choir master for 12 years for church 
and vSunday school. He is a member of Union 
Lodge of Masons, Pavvtucket. In his youth Mr. 
Burrow was a member of the 
Third West Yorkshire Rifle 
Volunteers. In 1861 he was 
married to Janet (iunn of 
Sunderland, England. The\' 
have no issue, but have 
adopted three children. 

BUTLER, Richard Archer, 
only chilli of William and 
Mar\ J. (Jones) Butler, was 
born in Norfolk, Va., Jan. 6, 
1S54. He attended school in 
his native cit\' until he was 
fifteen years old. In 1869 he 
came to Attleboro, Mass., 
worked on a farm and went 
to school winters. As he was 
ambitious and desirous of ad- richar 

vancement in the world he tanner, curr.er a 

saved sufficient money from 
his scant}' earnings to enable him tc) obtain a 
good commercial education at Bryant & Strat- 
ton's Business College in Providence. In 187,1 
he began to learn the carpenter's trade but 
abandcnied this to .start the milk business in 
1875, which he disposed of with profit in Octo- 
ber, 1879, when he bought out the interest of 
William Orr in the Star Tanning Co., then 
located in the I'airbrother and Wood building, 
corner High and Blackstone streets. Central 
Falls, ami became a partner with William 
tioulding and Jonas Welcome. Afterwards 
Robert Bellew became a partner and Mr. Wel- 
come withdrew. In 1882 .Mr. Butler sold to 




Oscar Jillson his interest in the Star Tanning 
Co. Tlie company moved out of the Fair- 
biother and Wood building which Mr. Butler 
had leased. He bought the building in 1885. 
Here until 1895 he carried on tanning and 
currying, and manufactured belt, lacing, Don- 
gola and fancy leather. Mr. Butler is a memlier 
of the Central Falls Veteran Firemen's Associa- 
tion. In politics he is a Republican, and was a 
member of the Lincoln Republican A.ssociation. 
BARRY, James F., the son of Michael and 
.Mary (McKenna) Barry, was born in New York 
city in i860. His grandfather I)a\id came to 
New York. June 22, 1826, from Ireland, where 
for many generations the 
Barrys were prominent and 
wealthy: he acquired wealth, 
became one of the best known 
men in New York city, and 
died there at the age of 103. 
Michael, his son, was a mem- 
ber of the city council of New- 
York from the seventh ward 
during the admini.stration of 
Fernando Wood. James F\ 
attended the New York 
schools until he was eight 
years old, and the Pawtucket 
schools until he was eighteen. 
He then went to Bryant & 
Stratton's Business College in 
J T LE p Providence , for two years, and 

HER MANUFACTURER. v\'as graduatedfu 1880. His 

fir.st occujiation was as book- 
keeper for William M. Fisher & Co., jew- 
elry manufacturers, and he also worked in a 
similar capacity for other makers of jewelry. 
In 1885 he was appointed assistant postmaster 
of Pawtucket by President Cleveland. Three 
years later he resigned to accept a position as 
clerk in the water works department of the city 
of Pawtucket, which he held for three years. 
For the year ending July, 1895, he was business 
manager of the Pawtucket Post. He then 
formed a ]iartnership with Frank Ivsser, under 
the name of Ivsser & Barry, for the manufacture 
of jewelry, which has become a very successful 
business, with workrooms in the Kent & Stanlev 





LOUIS P. BARDLET, 

DENTIST. 



THOMAS E. BERRY, 

RfNTENDENT OF CITY CEMETERIES 





GEORGE A. CARMICHAEL, 

FREIGHT CASHIER N. Y. N. H. & H. R. R. PAV 



CHARLES E CARPENTER, 

■ STONE, CARPENTER A WILLSON. ARCHITECTS, PROVIDENCE. 





SAMUEL O. CASE, Jr., 

GROCERY AND GENERAL STORE. LEBANON. 



JOHN J. COSTELLO, 

ANAGER OF JOHN CASEY « CO.'S GROCERY STORE. 



inOGRAI'HIKS. 



263 



building, Providence. The concern is now the 
largest producer of white stone jewelry in Amer- 
ica. About 100 persons are employed, and 
silver specialties are al.so turned out. The pro- 
ducts are facsimiles of real diamonds in fine 
.settings, and 100,000 gross of stones are im- 
ported by the firm each year. This is about 
fifty per cent, of the stones that are brought into 
Rhode Island. Mr. Es.ser gives his attention to 
the buying. Mr. Barry manages the selling, and 
on that account is obliged to travel considerablv. 
The firm has an office in New York, employs 
several traveling salesmen, makes all grades of 
jewelry, and uses gold, rolled gold and electro- 
plate settings. 

Mr. Barry is a Democrat. He was clerk in the 
east side voting district in the town of Pawtucket 
the year before it became a city, and was chair- 
man of the delegation from his ward on the cit.\- 
committee. He belongs to the Knights of Colum- 
bus, and was one of the organizers of the ^tna 
Association in iSSo. 

CARMICHAEL, George Alexander, the 
oldest son of George and Abljy Sanford 
(Thomas) Carmichael, was born in Xorth 
Stonington, Conn., Dec. 22, 1869. His grand- 
father, George Carmichael, was born in Glas- 
gow, Scotland in 1802, came to America when a 
young man, and settled in Hopkinton, R. I. 
He died at Shannock, R. I., in 1888. His son, 
also named George Carmichael, was born in 
Scotland, Nov. 22, 1838, has been a successful 
woolen manufacturer at Shannock and We.sterh , 
represented the towns of Richmond, and Char- 
lestown, R. I., in the General Assembly, for 
many years both in the house and .senate, and 
was Presidential elector in 1884. Mr. Carmi- 
chael prepared the way, Ijy means of various 
resolutions he introduced in the general assembh- , 
for the establishment of the Rhode Lsland Soldiers' 
Home at Bristol. He is a man of more than ordi- 
nary force and character, has always been one of 
the ablest and most respected leaders of the Repuli- 
lican party in the .state, and has .ser\-ed on many 
boards, commissions, and other public capacities. 
George A., the third of the name, at- 
tended the public schools of Westerly, R. I., 
and completed his schooling at Scholfield's 



Connnercial College, Providence, from which 
he was graduated when eighteen years old. 
He was then employed for two years in the 
office of the Carmichael Manufacturing Co., 
Westerly. vSince then he has been connected 
with the New York. New Haven and Hartford 
Railroad in \arious office positions, and at 
present is freight cashier and chief clerk in the 
freight department at Pawtucket. He is a man 
of liberal views, tolerant and progressive. In 
politics he is a Republican, and has been a 
member of the .state central committee for one 
year. In religion he is a liberal, and is an 
attendant of the Bell street chapel, Providence, 
Rev. Anna Garlin vSpencer, pastor. He is a 
\oung man of a fine physical presence, is genial 
and companionable, is a capable accountant, 
and resembles his father in his character and 
attainments. Mr. Carmichael is a Free Mason, 
and belongs to St. John's Lodge and to Pro\-i- 
dence Royal Arch Chapter, and also to St. John's 
Conimandery of Providence. 

CAPRON, George Oliver, manager City 
Coal Co., Pawtucket. is of the seventh genera- 
tion of liis lamil>- in .\nierica. The first Ameri- 
can Capron was Banfield, who came from 
England about 1674, when 14 years of age, with 
three other youths as stowaways. Their i)re- 
sence placed the captain of the vessel in a 
peculiar predicament as he was prohibited from 
carrying an\- British subjects to America unless 
the>- were provided with a Hcen.se permitting 
tliem to leave the country. He determined to 
return at once to port and surrender the four 
youths to the authorities, but upon the protest 
of the mate and crew concluded to proceed on 
the voyage. It was thus the first Capron 
arri\ed in New England. 

James Holden, the author of the genealogy 
ol the Ca])ron family, thinks the name French 
and not ICnglish, and is .supported in this view 
by the absence of any coat of arms or heraldic 
record of this family in English heraldrv. It is 
])ossible that the Caprons were originally French 
and may have fled from that country to England 
during one of the then frequent periods of 
religious per.secution. There is no record of 
Banfield Caprons movements or occupation 



264 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OK I'AWT U C KKT. 



for seventeen years after his arri\al in AiiKiita. 
He married the daughter of Mr. Callciiili.r at 
Rehoboth, Mass., and seltk-d in what is now 
the town of Barrington, wlic-rc he reniaincil 
al)(int twenty years, when lie sold his farm to a 
Mr. Ilnmphrey and moved into Attleboro, then 
a densely wooded country, where he secured a 
larger farm. Here he remained until his death, 
which occurred Aug. 20, 1752. He is described 
as being of medium height, .strongly built, of 
light complexion, with blue eyes and light hair 
with a reddish tinge. He retained his vitality 
to the last, though he lived to be 92 years of age- 
He was married three times ; first to the Callen- 
der spoken of above ; second, to Elizabeth 
Blackinglou of .\ttleboro. Mass., who d. Ma\' 
'O' 1735 '■ third, to .Sarali, widow of Deacon John 
Daggett of Attleboro, Mass., Dec. 16, 17.^5. 
He had 12 children ; Banfield, Joseph, Edward, 
Walter, John, Betsey, Jonathan, Mary, Hannah, 
Margaret, Sarah and a daughter, name un 
known. The line of descent is through 

Banfield Jr., (2) born in Attleboro, Ma.ss., 
July 16, id.s^. He was married twice, first, to 
Hannah, daughter of Nathaniel Jenks, of Paw- 
tucket. R. I., and granddaughter of Governor 
Jenks. vShe d. 17,1!^. His .second wife was 
.Sarah Brown of Attleboro, Mass., whom he 
married in Feb. 1744. He probably moved to 
Rhode Island, as in the Cumberland records it is 
staled that he was chosen a grand juror in 174S, 
"to attend at ye next Inferior Court to be 
holden at Providence ye ,^d Tuesday of this 
June." He d. Aug. 16, 1752, in his 70th year. 
He liad 12 children, Nathaniel, Charles, Philip, 
1). Feb. I, 1719-20, Benjamin, Jonathan, Han- 
nah, Betse>-, Lydia, Oliver, Leah, vSarah, and 
Elizabeth. The line of descent is through the 
.second child, 

Charles, (3) who was b. in October, 1716, 
was married to Mary, daughter of Jcseph Scott 
of Bellinghain, Mass., Dec. 16, 1742, and the 
ceremony was performed by his uncle, William 
Arnold, Justice of the Peace. He was distin- 
guished in public affairs and held \-ari()us ]iub- 
lic offices, and d. May, 9, I7'S9, in his 7,'^d \ear. 
He had a large family all of whom li\e(l until 
the youngest had attained her fiftieth >ear. 



The names of his children were : Hannah, b. 
in Bellingham, Ma.ss., Philij), Phebe, b. in 
Cund)erland, R. I.. Charles, Jr.. Joseph, Mary, 
Xathaniel, I,\dia, b. .\ug. 31, 1755, (married 
IClisha Bosworth ) d. 1S41, John, Jemima, and 
('■race. The line of descent is throngli 

Pliili]), (4) second child of Charles and 
Mar\' ( vSeoU ) Ca]>ron, who was born at Belling- 
liam, Mass., Ma\' ij, 1745, married Priscilla, 
ilaughter of Joseph and .Mary Tillson, Nov. cS, 
1772, and d. Jnl\- 27, 1S21, aged 77 years. He 
was the author of a most interesting hi.story of 
the Capron lamil\-, written in 1817 when in his 
73d year. At that time he resided in Cumber- 
land, and died there. He had accumulated a 
large fortune, was a man of culture and great 
natural abilities, and was very active and promi- 
nent in public affairs, having been elected to 
many positions of trust, both local and state. 
His wife d. Nov. 2, 1S35. They had ten children : 
Prnsha, b. Oct. 6, 1773 ; Silas, b. May 16, 
1773 : Patience, b. Ma\-, 22, 1777 ; William, b. 
Aug. 27, 1779; Sarah, b. Nov. 14, 1781 ; 
Nancy, b. Oct. 20, 17S3 ; John, b. Aug. 2, 1785; 
Oliver, b. April 10, 17S7 : Lemuel, b. May, 27, 
1789; and vSeth, b. Aug. 24, 1791. The line of 
descent is through 

Oliver (5), eighth child of Philip and 
Priscilla, who was married to Silence Harding 
of Cumberland, R. I., May 20, 1810. They had 
eight children : Newton, b. March 28, 1812 
Mary Ann, b. Jul\- 24, 1814, d. Aug. 29, 1843 
Elias Smith, b. June 27, 1816, d. April 6, 1847 
Angonette, b. Oct. 20, 1818, d. Sept. 25, 1851 
Julia Ann, b. July 15, 1822, d. March 2r, 1847 
LucN'lda, b. Aug. 1(1. 1825, d. Jan. 10, 1843; 
.Stafford Scott, b. June 13, 1826 ; and Sanford 
Taft, b. Oct. 14, 1828. 

Newton (6), the oldest son of the preced- 
ing, was married to Caroline Cornelia, daughter 
of (ieorge Allen Gilmore, and Sally Lovett Sher- 
bnrn. He was a mill superintendent and engaged 
l(n- some time in the hnnber business in the 
south. In 185S he was the \ictimof an accident 
which caused the loss ol both legs, but he sur- 
xived this for man\' \ears and died ( )cl. ly, 1875. 

(jeorge Oliver (7) the onl\ child of Newton 
and Caroline (Cornelia) Cai)ron, was born in 



P, IOC. RAP II I i: s. 



265 



P'ranklin, Mass., vSujil. I'l, iSsA. When he- was 
two years old his parents removed to Lonsdale, 
R. I., and there he obtained his early education. 
He graduated from the high school and com- 
pleted his .studies at Bryant & Stratton's Busi- 
ness College, Providence. His first occupation 
was in the wholesale grocery house of Whitford 
& Saunders in Providence, where he remained 
five years, leaving to accept a position in the 
cotton manufactory of Littlefield Bros., Paw- 
tucket. On the organization of the City Coal 
'Co. in 1S89. he accepted the general manage- 
ment and still occupies that position. May 26, 
1887, he was married to Annie Walton, daugh- 
ter of E. S. Mason of Pawtucket, by which 
union there are two children, Edith Mason, b. 
Dec. 7, 188S, and PMmund Bishop, 1). Sept. 21, 
1S94. 

CARPENTER, Everett Payson, the second 
son of Sumner and Mary Ann ((Toodhue) Car- 
penter, was born in Pawtucket, R. I., June 16, 
1S34, and was educated in the public .schools. 
When fifteen years of age he began to learn the 
jewelers' trade, but the acids used for soldering 
injured his eyes, so that he was obliged to 
abandon it. When 18 years of age he engaged 
as a clerk in the house furnishing establishment 
of C. M. Hubbard & Co., of Manchester, N. H. 
With the experience thus obtained he returned 
to Pawtucket and in 1858 established him- 
self in business in a small wa>- in compan\' 
with Jesse Cudworth, under the name of 
Cudworth, Carpenter & Co., in the Carrique 
and Allen building on the east side of the 
river. The building is still standing on Main 
street and is used by the Dexter Yarn Co. 
for storing cotton. His entire .stock was not 
valued at more than $10,000, if so much, and 
the floor space required to display his goods 
was 12,000 square feet. The amount of busi- 
ness transacted annually was $25,000. This is a 
good showing when the population and sur- 
roundings are considered, but compared with 
the mammoth establishment of to-day it sinks 
into utter insignificance. The amount of floor 
space at present required in displaj' of goods is 
more than one acre and the cash value of the 
business annuall>- amounts to $175,000. 



In iS6y, when Mr. Car])enter's brother 
Herbert S. was admitted to partnership, the 
firm name was changed to the present title of E. 
P. Carpenter Co. The house is now the largest 
in its line in Pawtucket as an emporium for all 
kinds of house furnishing goods, and will com- 
])are favorably with similar establishments in 
the large cities. 

Mr. Carpenter is a director in the Pacific 
National Bank. He has been a member of the 
Pawtucket Business Men's Association since its 
organization. For many years he has been a 
member of the First Baptist church, is treasurer 
of the Pawtucket Dispensary, and occupies many 
inijiortant positions in connection with church 
work. Oct. 4, 1855, he was married to Sarah J. 
Smith of Manchester, N. H., and they have had 
three children, Edward Judson, Burnside Lin- 
coln, and Frank Everett, who all died in infanc\-. 

The Carpenter family is one of the oldest in 
New England, and traces its ancestr}' in America 
back to 1638, to William Carpenter, one of the 
first settlers of Rehoboth. Many of Everett P.'s 
forefathers are buried in the Mineral Spring 
cemeter}-, Pawtucket, and in the old Seekonk 
graveyard. 

CARPENTER, Qeorge Ansel, the city 
engineer of Pawtucket, is a descemlant in the 
ninth generation from William Carpenter, who 
was one of the company of people that came 
from Weymouth, Mass., in 1644 with the Rev. 
vSamuel Newman and settled Rehoboth. This 
William Carpenter was not, however, the head 
of the family at that time, as he with his wife 
Abigail and four children and his father, also 
named William, had come from England in the 
ship Bevis in 1638 and .settled in Weymouth. 
The family has always been prominent in 
Rehoboth and Attleboro, and man\- of its mem- 
bers have attained distinction in state and 
national affairs. The line of descent to George 
.\. is: William, the son of the first settler of 
Rehoboth, his son Nathaniel and grandson Dan, 
who were all born in Rehoboth. The son of 
the latter was Ezekiel, born in Attleboro. as 
were his son Dan, and his grandson Ansel. 
The latter was born Oct. 17. 1800. in the old 
homestead on the east bank of the Blaekstone 



266 



I I.LrSTkATl' I) HISTORY O I' I'AW T T C K ICT 




GEORGE A. CARPENTER, 
CITY ENGINEER, PAWTUCKET. 



river, whicli still stands near the site now 
occupied !)>• tile Home Bleach iN: I)\e Works, 
within tlie limits of the town of Attleboro. He 
was town s(.-ri;eant of the towns of North Provi- 
dence an<l Pawtncket and city messenger of 
Pawtucket from 1855 nntil his death, Sept. 
22, 1891. His son, (Tcorge Albert Carpenter, 
was married to I<\dia Clark Gage, and their 
only child was (jeorge Ansel Carpenter, who 
was born in Pawtucket, March 4, 1864. Pie 
obtained his education in the public schools of 
Pawtncket and was graduated from the high 
school July 2, 188;^. He innnediately entered 
the employ of I). Lawrence Wilkinson, a civil 
engineer practicing in Pawtucket. In 1886, 
upon the incorporation of the city of Pawtucket, 
Mr. Wilkinson was elected city engineer and 
Mr. Car])enter was as.sociated with him as first 
assistant until Aug. 1888, when he was engaged 
by the board of .sewer conniiissioners of Lin- 
coln. R. I., as their engineer. He remained in 
the employ of the town of Lincoln, making 
plans for and superintending the construction 
of sewers until March i, 1891, when he assumed 
the position of city engineer of Pawtucket to 
whicli he had been elected by the city council 



in I'V'hrnarw This jxisition Mr. Carpenter still 
holds. Inning been re-eletted in 1892-3-4-5-6. 
Jan. 5, 1888, he was married to Jennie Smith 
Shepardson, and two children lia\e been l)orn 
to them: 01ad>s Randall, b. July .s, i .S.S9 ; and 
Margaret All\n. b. Feb. i, 1S95. .Mr. Carjien- 
ter is a member of various Masonic bodies and 
of the Boston Society of Civil P^ngineers. 

CARPENTER, Isaac B., was born in Paw 
tucket, Nov. I, 1866, and is the son of William 
S. and Lydia (Leonard) Carpenter. The Car- 
jienter famih- is one of the oldest in this country, 
and the founder of this branch came to America 
in 1650. Isaac attended the public schools of 
Pawtucket until he was 14 years of age. He 
then worked for the L\'ons Delany Co. for six 
months, after which he was an operator for the 
Providence Telephone Co. for four years. At 
the end of that time he became inspector at the 
Pawtucket Telephone Exchange, continued as 
such for five years, and in 1894 was promoted 
to be manager. The Pawtucket exchange was 
established in 1S76; at jiresent its territory 
extends to Woonsocket. When Mr, Carpenter 
began his work as inspector in Pawtncket there 
were only 200 subscribers, but from that time 
the\' increased continu(nisl\- until on Jul\' i, 1896, 
the number was 701. The tele])h(ine office is 
at present at 210 Main .street, but the company 
is now erecting a commodious building on High 
street, specially designed for the business, and 
it will be furnished and ready for occupancy 
early in the .spring of 1897. Mr. Carpenter is an 
enthusiastic Republican. He is a Free Mason, 
and also an Odd Fellow. He is an alert, active 
jniblic-spirited young man, with safe and con- 
servative instincts, and is certain to make his 
influence felt in the future. 

CARPENTER, Charles Edmund, a member 
of the well known firm of architects, >Stone, 
Carpenter & Willson, Providence, was born in 
Pawtucket, Ma.ss., May i, 1845, the son of Asa 
!•). Carpenter and Hetty A. (Arnold) Carpenter, 
and a lineal descendant of William Carpenter 
who came to this country from Ivngland in 1638 
in the ship " lie\is." His early education was 
obtained in the public schools of Pawtucket, 
and after leaving the high school he entered the 



lUOC. k A I'H I ICS. 



267 



office of William vS. Haines, ci\-il engineer, 
with the intention of adopting); that profe.ssion. 
After three years in this pursuit he believed 
that the profession of architecture would better 
suit his tastes, and he commenced its study, 
entering- the office of Alfred vStone in March, 
1868, as draughtsman. In this profession he 
made such progress that in i8-^ he was admit- 
ted to partnership, the firm name being Stone &: 
Carpenter. About this time he was elected a 
F'ellow of the American In.stitute of Architects, 
of which body he is still a member. He has 
spent much time in luuope in the study of 
its architecture. In 1883 Edmund R. Willson 
became a partner and the style was changed to 
Stone, Caipenter & Willson, who are now con- 
sidered the leading architects in Rhode Island. 

The firm has designed some of the finest 
public buildings and business blocks in Provi- 
dence and elsewhere in Rhode Island, as well as 
in other states. Among these buildings are the 
Rhode Island State Prison and State Almshou.se : 
the Pettaconsett and Hope Pumping Stations, 
Providence water works ; Providence County 
Court House, Hotel Dorrance. Providence Tele- 
phone building, Gj-mnasium and Slater halls 
at Brown University, Industrial Trust building, 
Lauderdale building, Francis building, Central 
Police Station, Union Railroad Station, Provi- 
dence Public Library, Providence Institution 
for Savings, and many others in Providence and 
vicinity. In Pawtucket the Music Hall build- 
ing, Pacific National Bank building, Wheaton 
building, and many of the finest residences have 
been built from the firm's designs. 

In 1862, while yet a pupil in the Pawtucket 
high school, Mr. Carpenter with a luimber of his 
schoolfellows enlisted in Co. H. gtli Regiment, 
Rhode Island Volunteers, recruited principally 
from the Pawtucket Light Guard, and went to 
the front under the command of Capt. Henry P'. 
Jenks, .serving the three months term of enlist- 
meiU. lie is a member of the Providence Art 
Clul), and the To Kalon Club of Pawtucket. 
In 1894 he married Eudora C. Sheldon, daughter 
of Gilbert Sheldon of Providence. 

CARROLL, Hugh, J., is of the second gen- 
eration of his family in America. His father, 



Hugh Carroll, came from Ireland to America in 
1832, but then remained only a short time. He 
returned in 1849 and settled in Warwick, R. I. 
Hugh J. was born in the village of Lippitt, 
Oct. 29, 1854, and was the eleventh child of 
Hugh and Ann (Mclilhaney) Carroll. He 
attended the public schools, studied in Niagara 
College, N. Y., and completed his education at 
St. Laurent College, P. Q., Canada. He read 
law in the office of Sayles & Green of Provi- 
dence, and was admitted to the bar August 27, 
1877. He commenced jiractice in Pawtucket 
the following year. In public affairs Mr. Car 
roll has taken an active and prominent part. He 
has served the city and state in various capaci- 
ties. He was town solicitor and served .several 
terms in the lower house of the state legislature, 
during which time he introduced and secured 
the passage of the ten-hour bill. In 1889 he 
was elected maj'or of Pawtucket and his admin- 
istration was characterized by efficiency and 
progressiveness. He was active in promoting 
the celebration of the Cotton Centennial in 1890, 
and .secured appropriations amounting to $23,000 
from the state and cit\- for that purpose. He 
advocated improvements, and during his admin- 
istration Walcott street was opened, widened 
and extended to the plains, greatly facilitating 
connnunication with the center of the city. 
Among other improvements which he urged 
(some of which have been made) was the widen- 
ing of Main .street and the bridge (which will 
soon be accomplished), lengthening Division 
street by bridging Hammond's pond, and ex- 
tending the street car system, making much 
better connections with the east side of the city, 
improving Pawtucket avenue to the city line and 
the widening of Broad street at the railroad 
crossing. He also advocated the erection of a 
new city hall. He has wielded a large influence 
on the policy of the Democratic party in this state, 
having .ser\-ed for 19 years on the state central 
connnittee, two years of which he was chairman. 
Mr. Carroll is a member of the Catholic 
Knights and of the Seekonk Club. Ma>' 10, 
1880, he was married to Sarah M. Warburton, 
of Pheni-K, K. I., by which union there are four 
children. Bertha, Alice, Sarah and Ann. 



26S 



I I, LUSTRA 'PI', I) HISTORY ( ) !• 1' AW '1' T C K !• 



CASE, Samuel Otterson, Jr., was bdiii in 
the town of Rehoboth, Mass., Dec. J4, iS;,j, 
ami i.s the son of Saimiel O. and Sarah ( Hicks) 
Case. He moved with his parents to Seekonk, 
Mass., in 1836. At the age of fifteen he learned 
to be a mason with his father at East l'ro\i- 
dence, R. I., in what was then Seekonk. When 
eighteen years old he became a clerk at Lebanon 
village, in a grocery and dry goods store con 
ducted by his lather, and continued in that 
place and occupation lor three years. In 1S54 
he returned to Seekonk, and worked at his 
trade for a short time. He then returned to 
Lebanon and opened a store on his own account 
as a dealer in general groceries, flour and grain. 
Success attended his endeavors, and he has 
ever since continued to transact the ])rincipal 
business of the locality in these lines. Indeed 
his store is a centre of supply for a wide radius 
of farming country in Seekonk, Rehoboth and 
Pawtucket. For nine years Mr. Case was a 
deputy sheriff in Bristol County, Mass., and 
has held many minor ofTfices in the town ol 
Seekonk, Mass. In the spring of 1853 he 
married Harriet K., the only daughter of Daniel 
B. and Hannah Cooper of Seekonk. His father, 
who was born in Rehoboth, Dec. 25, 1807, is 
still living, hale and hearty. His mother, also 
born in Rehoboth, May i, 1808, died in 1891. 

CATTANACH, Donald D., artist, inventor 
and chemist, son of Duncan and Mar>- (Mac- 
donald) Cattanach, came to this country in the 
18th year of his age. He was born in the High- 
lands of Scotland, and spent his childhood 
there, obtaining his primary education in the 
.schools of his native land. At the age of twehe 
years he was .sent to London to finish his edu- 
cation. The Cattanach family is one of the 
mo.st noted in the history of the Scottish High- 
lands. Upon his father's side Donald I), is a 
lineal descendant of "The Cattanach," "Cat 
of the Mountain," an independent Scottish 
chief of valor and renown of the Clan Chattan, — 
and on his mother's side is a descendant of the 
chief of the Camerons of Lochiel. His mother's 
ancestor was Macdonald, chief of the Clan 
Glengarry, who was ca])tured at the battle of 
Culloden in 1746, and with many others of the 



defeated arm\- was afterwards executed. After 
completing his academic studies in London, 
Mr. Cattanach began life as a chemist, and at 
once de\-elo])ed great inventive abilitw 

.\s a chemist he holds high rank, having 
studied and exjierimented in every branch of 
the science of chemistry. Hefore leaving Lon- 
don he in\enlcd a continuous process for the 
manufacture of ])yroligneous acid, wood spirit, 
creosote and carbon for i;uni>o\\dei'. This ])ro- 
cess he brought to the I'uited .States in 1S55 
and sold to a man in (leorgia. He then began 
the manufacture of hydrofluoric acid for the 
embo.ssing and decorating of glass, and devel- 
oped this branch of indu.stry very extensively. 

.At the beginning of the late cixil war Mr. 
Cattanach was employed by the niendiers of the 
.Marine Artillery of Providence to instruct them 
in the tactics of cavalry. He excelled as a 
swordsman, having received a military education 
at a school near London, it being intended that 
he should enter the army, but being naturally 
inclined to the arts he preferred coming to this 
country in order to follow his favorite pursuits. 

For a number of years Mr. Cattanach car- 
ried on the largest decorative business in New 
England. He decorated several of the churches 
in Pawtucket and Providence and in other towns 
of the state. Many private dwellings also bear 
testimonj- to his artistic abilit\ . The designs 
and colors were his own, and the latter possess 
a durability not achieved b\- an\- one else. 

A very valuable in\ention which Mr. 
Cattanach has perfected, is an apparatus for the 
manufacture of chemically pure acetic acid for 
the arts and for culinary purpo.ses, also for the 
manufacture of hydrocaulous and for the dis- 
tillation and purification of water and other 
fluids, and for other valuable purposes. .Among 
his other in\enlions is an improved furnace 
which will i^ixe the same amount of heat with one 
third of the coal required by ordiuarx furnaces, 
and it also consumes its own smoke. Equally 
\aluable with the invention ol the apparatus for 
the nuinufacture of acids is that for the manu- 
facture of a substitute for leather in its various 
uses, the most valuable of which is as a cover- 
ing lor top rolls in the art of cotton spinning. 



270 



I L LUST RAT I'D HISTORY 1< P AWTU C Klv T. 



Mr. Cattaiiach has also invented u ik\v s\ stem of 
filtration which is superior to any now in vogue. 

lie was married in 1S59 to Aeries A. 
Leckie, twin daughter of Hni;h and Mary 
(Drowne) Leckie. .Mr. Leckie was a prominent 
cotton manufacturer in early life in Connecticut, 
hut for nearly forty years carried on business in 
rawtntket. He was a worthy citizen and a 
representative of some of the noblest blood of 
Scotland. Mrs. Leckie was a relative of Gilbert 
Stuart, the famous portrait j)ainter, whose pic- 
ture of Washington is the accepted likeness of 
the " Father of his Country." Mr. Cattanach 
has six children, four sons : Duncan A., a 
graduate of Brown Universit\- now in Colorado ; 
John L. ; Hugh L- ; and Donald Charles A. ; 
who are engaged with their father in the man- 
agement of the laboratories and works at Ingra- 
hamville; and two daughters, Mary A., and 
Anna V. S. Cattanach. 

CHALK, Henry J., the only child of John 
and Mary (Corbett) Chalk, was born in Woon- 
socket, R. I., April 5, 1868. He went to school 
until he was fourteen A-ears old, and then 
worked on a farm for some years. He then 
learned the most important part of the tailoring 
trade, the art of garment cutting, with R. V. 
Woods of Pawtucket, and at the age of eighteen 
went to work in the capacit)- of a cutter for Ma.x 
Feder, the tailor. He remained in this situ- 
ation three years, and then worked for John A. 
O'Neill as manager and cutter for seven }'ears. 
In 1895 he bought out Mr. O'Neill and carried 
on the busine.ss until March, 1896. Aug. 10, 
1896, he opened his present establishment, the 
Pawtucket Pre.ssing and Tailoring Co., room 3, 
Payne building, Railroad avenue, Pawtucket, 
where he has developed a good business. Mr. 
Chalk is a member of Delany Council, Knights 
of Columbus. He was married to Alice Jenks, 
Nov. 27, 1895. 

CLAPP, Bela P., was born in Westhamp- 
ton, Mass., May 24, 1830, and is the eighth 
child of Bela P. and Cynthia (Carr) Cla])]). 
He obtained his education in the public schools 
of Chesterfield and Williamsburg, Mass. In 
his 19th year he went to Providence, to learn 
the drug business, but in 1854 came to Paw- 



tucket and purcha.sed the drug store located at 
iSi Main street. While conducting this busi- 
ness he became interested in a process for 
extracting anunonia from the aninioniacal waters 
of gas works, and after man\- experiments 
succeeding in perfecting a method which is now 
universally known as the Cla])p process. He at 
once dispo.sed of the drug busine.ss and devoted 
his entire time to the manufacture of anunonia. 
His product is famous all over the world and is 
used in every country. In iS.Sg the business 
was incorporated under the name of the B. P. 
Clapp Ammonia Co., antl Mr. Clapp was 
elected general manager, with the principal 
oiTice in New York, and the main works are on 
River street, Pawtucket. The company has 
liranch establishments at Cincinnati, Ohio, 
Louis\'ille, Ky., St. Louis and Kansas City, 
Mo., Bayonne, N. J., Washington. I). C. and 
also in I^ondon, luigland. 

Mr. Clapp is a Republican. He is a mem- 
ber of the Masonic Order. In 1S56 lie was 
married to Eliza M. Hopkins of Coventr\-, R. I., 
b\' which union there was no issue ; she died 
in i860. In 1863 he was married to Sarah A. 
Hopkins of Coventry, R. I., by which union 
there are four children: Bela C, b. Aug. 4, 
1865, night editor of the New York Journal of 
Commerce ; Ralph R., b. Nov. 22, 1867, now 
in charge of the branch house in London, Eng- 
land : Edith L., b. Jan. 17, 1871, married 
Lincoln C. Heywood of Pawtucket ; and vSanuiel 
H., b. Sept. 18, 1876. 

The American ancestor of the Clapp family 
was Roger Clapp, born in Ivngland in 1609. 
He came to this country- in the ship " Mary and 
John," landing at Nantasket, Ma.ss., May 30, 
1630. He was captain ot " The Castle," now 
Fort Independence, in Boston Harbor, and 
received /50 per year as salary. In 1633 he 
was married to Johanna Ford, a fellow passen- 
ger on the " Mar\- and John," and they had 15 
children. Their tombstones may be seen in 
King's chapel burying ground on Tremont 
street, Boston, slill in a state of fair preser\-a- 
tion. The Pawtucket Clapps descend from 
Preserved Cla])]i, a son of Roger, who settled in 
Northampton, Mass., in 1663. Bela P. Clapp, 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



271 



the father of the present Bela P., was 1)nrn in 

Westhanipton, Mass., Nov. 6, 1792. In early 

life he was a merchant, but in his last years a 

farmer. For many years he was a representative 

in the Massachusetts legislature. He was town 

clerk of the town of Westhanipton, justice of 

the peace, one of the selectmen, and occupied 

other positions of honor, tru.st and responsibility. 

His father's name was Sylvanus, who was born 

in Northampton, Mass., in 1764, and settled as 

a farmer in Westhanipton. He was of the fourth 

generation from Roger Clapp. Up to Sylvanus 

Clapp's time the name was spelled with one p. 

Sylvanus was the son of Ebenezer, who was b. 

1726 ; Ebenezer was the son 

of Samuel, b. 1677; Samuel ,- 

was the son of Preserved, b. 

in if'43. ;iiid Preserved was 

the son of Roger who was b. I 

in England, April 6, 1609. ' 

Mr. Clapp's mother, who was j ^ 

b. in Stonington, Conn., in 

1793, descends from a family ^ 

equally as old as his father's. ^ 

Robert Carr, her ancestor, .-'- 

purchased Conanicut Island 

in Narragansett Bay, R. I., 

from the Indians in 1635, the 

year in which he arrived in 

this country from London. 

CLARK, John H., the sou 
of Philip and Catharine 
Clark, w'as born in 1843 in one 
of the most romantic and 
beautiful regions in Ireland, between Castle 
Blarney and Ballabay. The Clark family 
lived for many generations in County Monag- 
han, Ireland, and the first of the name is 
said to have settled there at the time that 
the Sassenach, the Anglo Saxon invaders, 
conquered the Green Isle. John's father was a 
farmer, and emigrated in 1849 to this country 
with his family. He came first to Providence, 
but in 1850 removed to Pawtucket, and went to 
work as a mason. John received his education 
ill the Pawtucket public schools and then worked 
in succession in the LeFavour mills, Paw^tucket, 
and the \'allev Falls cotton mills. But the life 




J. ERNST CLARNER, 
FOREMAN DYER, J. A P. COATS. LI 



of an operative was not congenial to him, .so he 
began to look around for a w-ider field, where 
his opportunities for advancement w'ould be 
greater. In pursuance of this desire he learned 
the machini.st trade with Easton & Burnhani. 
He then worked for J. K. Mallory as a spool 
maker, and held several other positions in .spool 
shops. He was in the employ of Weatherhead 
& Thompson for several months. In September, 
1 87 1, having saved .some tnone}-, he opened a dry 
goods store on Central street, Central Falls. 
He succeeded beyond his expectations and soon 
after moved into larger quarters in J. G. Fales' 
block. He made and saved money rapidly, and 
in 1883 bought the Walcott 
estate on Main .street, Paw- 
tucket, and moved his store 
into it. He raised the build- 
ing, put on three additions 
and largely increased the 
I business, by his shrew'dness, 
enterprise and foresight. By 
the.se means he accumulated 
considerable property. In 
1889 he .sold out the business 
to Radikin, Coonej- & Forbes, 
and since then has spent his 
time in looking after his real 
estate interests, which are 
extensive. He lives a quiet 
retired life. In 1893 he made 
a tour of Europe, and visited 
ED. the place of his birth in Ire- 
land. Mr. Clark is a member 
Mary's church. In 1871 he was married 
F. Carland of Ph'inouth, Mass., and 



of St. 

to Ellen 

the}^ have had six children, three of whom are 

living, namely, Mary E., William J. and Arthur 

J. Those deceased were Patrick J., John H., 

Jr., and Philip. 

CLARNER, John Ernst, was born Feb. 12, 
1827, in Kirchenlamitz, Bavaria, Germany. 
His male relatives for several generations were 
dyers. In 1848 he joined the revolutionists 
and in consequence emigrated to America in 
1849, but was wrecked on the banks of New- 
foundland, and arri\ed in New York with 
nothing but the clothing he wore and his 



272 



ILLUvSTRATlvI) IIISTOUV () I" I'AWTl'CKIvT. 



guitar. Ik' was the second Ocrmaii to becoiiK- 
a resident of Pawtucket. In US50 he became 
foreman dyer in Samuel Merry's dyeliouse and 
remained there fourteen years. In 1S67 he 
went to Greene & Daniels as bleacher and dyer, 
remained there ten years; and in 1877 became 
foreman dyer for the Conant Thread Co., now 
J. & P. Coats, (Limited), which position he stills 
holds. .Mr. Clarner's general characteristics are 
a love of his jirofession and music. As he left 
his countrs' on account of political troubles he 
has always been greatly interested in sound 
government in America. He has always .stood 
firm as a Republican and a temperance advocate. 
In 1856 he was naturalized, and was married the 
same year, June 26, to Caroline Soule Weeden, 
the second daughter of John H. Weeden, Esq. 

COKELY, George W., was born in Provi- 
dence, R. I., July 20, 1868, received his edu- 
cation in the public schools, and then in 
Mowry & Goff's English and Classical school, 
where he obtained the foundation of a good 
business training. His first occupation was 
as clerk for Frank A. Rhodes, cotton goods 
and print cloth broker, in which position 
he remained two years. He then engaged 
in the bicycle business, and traveled exten- 
sively throughout the country as salesman 
for some of the leading concerns. April, 1S95, 
in partnership with H. A. Monroe, he estab- 
lished the firm of Cokely, Monroe & Co., and 
opened a large bicycle and sporting goods store 
in the Payne block. Railroad avenue, Pawtucket. 
He retired from this firm, and engaged with the 
Congdon-Carpenter Co., of Providence, in Nov. 
1895, as the manager of the new bicycle depart- 
ment which was opened on the ground floor of the 
Industrial Trust Company's building, corner of 
Ivxchange place and Exchange .street, Feb- 
ruary, 1896. Under Mr. Cokely's capable 
direction a large business has been developed. 

Mr. Cokeh- is the .son of John H. and 
Sarah J. (Kelton) Cokely. His father was 
born in Providence, April 5, 1836, was a com- 
missioned officer in the Union army during the 
war of the rebellion, and was attached to tlie 
recruiting office at Boston, Mass.. and the 
provcst marshal's office in Providence, R. I. 



.\t tin- close of the war he became a successful 
and ]>i)pular detective. He died at Providence, 
l'"eb. 28, 1891. Mr. Cokely's mother was born 
in Rehoboth, Mass., Oct. 6, 1S42. Her father, 
luhvard L. Kelton, was a successful mason and 
building contractor and resided in Pawtucket 
from 1S42 to 1846. 

Mr. Cokely attends the Union P)a])tist 
church of Providence. He is a Republican in 
jjolitics, is a mendjer of the Providence Athletic 
Association, the Narragansett Boat Club, and 
of the Pawtucket Cycle Club. 

COLE, Henry S., the survi\-ing partner of 
Cole Bros., stationary engine and cotton ma- 
chinery manufacturers, was born in that part 
of Seekonk, Mass., which is now I'^ast Provi- 
dence, in 1837. The Cole famil>' were among 
the early settlers of Rehoboth, and various 
branches of it have resided in that town and in 
Seekonk for many generations. Some of the 
Coles took part in the revolutionary war. 
Henry vS. obtained his education in the pidilic 
.schools of his native town, and at an early age 
was apprenticed to the machinist trade w-ith the 
Corli.ss Steam iMigine Co., Providence, with 
which concern he remained several years as a 
journe\inan. He then came to Pawtucket in 
1858 and in company with his brother, Edward 
R. Cole, started a general machine .shop, under 
the firm name of Cole Bros. They made cotton 
machinery and did general repairing. In 1864 
they began to construct .steam fire engines. For 
many years they turned out these machines, and 
their engines are still in use in many of the best 
equipped fire departments of the country. This 
branch of the business has, however, now been 
discontinued, but steam fire engines are occa- 
sionally sent to the shops to be repaired. The 
firm now makes automatic banding machines 
for spinning frame bands, beaming and chaining 
nuichines, stationary steam engines, and builds 
special machinery to order. The shops, at the 
corner of Main and Bayley streets, have been 
occupied by the firm for more than thirty years. 

.Since the death of lulward, May 28, 1877, 
the business has been conducted by Henry S., 
under the old name. In jiolitics Mr. Cole is a 
Republican. He attends the First Baptist 



BIOGRAPHIIiS. 

church, and belongs to the following- societies : Union Lodge of 
Masons, Ro\al Arch Chapter, Holy Sepulchre Coniniandery, 
and is a member of the Masonic Consi.story. He was married 
in East Providence to Olive A. Lawton, and they have three chil- 
dren : Amy B., Annie L. and H. Herbert, all born in Pawtucket. 
vSimeon Daggett, the maternal grandfather of Mr. Cole, was 
a prominent citizen in vSeekonk, Mass. He was the builder of 
the old Slater mill in Pawtucket, and put into its wheel pit the 
first improved water wheel ever jnit in operation in America. 
He erected many buildings and a majority of the frr.st mills in 
Pawtucket. As a mill builder he was a thoroughly practical 
man, as he designed and erected the buildings, placed the 
machinery, and built the dams and trenches. He was a friend 
and a.ssociate of Samuel Slater and was interested with him in 
many undertakings. Edward 
R. Cole, Mr. Cole's paternal 
grandfather, was a sea-captain 
and sailed for Brown & I\es 
of Providence. Mr. Cole has i 

in his possession an oil por- 
trait of his grandfather painted 
in China by a native artist. 
Mr. Cole's father, Hammond 
Cole, was born in Seekonk ; 
for years he was a mechanic 
at the Corliss Steam Engine 
Co., Providence, but in his 
later life was connected with 
his sons in the Pawtucket 
shop. He died Jan. 3, 1891. 



^73 




WILLIAM W. COLLINS, 



i 



<t>* 





JOSEPH W. COLLINS, 

= COLLINS BROS., MACHINERY MANUFACTURERS. 



COLLINS, William Wright, 

was born at Ashton-under- 
Lyne, England, Oct. 19, 1S24, 
and died at Pawtucket, Feb. 
14, 189^. His maternal grand- 
uncle, William Wright, was 
one of the fir.st cotton manu- 
facturers in Lancashire. His 
wife's family, the Hibberts, 
is one of the oldest in Lanca- 
shire, and one of its members. 
Sir John Hibbert, is a mem- 
ber of Parliament. Mr. Col- 
HENRY COLLINS, ^'"^ Came to America in 1859, 

OF COLLINS BBOS., MACHINERY MANUFACTURERS. aUd lU COmpailV with hlS 

brother, Joseph Wright Col- 
lins, started in 1864 a machine shop from which the present large 
business of his sons, the Collins Bros., was developed. He was 
married in 1844 to Selina Hibbert, who was born Nov. 24, 1824, 
and died Aug. 4, 1878. They had five children : Sarah Ann, 
Henry, Louisa, Esther, and Joseph Wright. Mr. Collins was a 
member of the Pawtucket city council for two \ears. — [See page 
150 for account of business.] 

COLLINS, Henry, was born at Ashton-under-Lyne, March 
9. 1847, and received his education in private .schools in his 
native city and also in the Pawtucket public schools. He .ser\-ed 
a three years' apprenticeship with Fales & Jenks, after which 
he went to work for his father and was admitted to a partner- 
shij) in 1882. He is a Republican, attends the Congregational 
church, and belongs to Jenks Lodge, No. 24, A. F. and A. M., 
Central Falls ; Good Samaritan Lodge, No. 8, I. O. Q. F. ; 



274 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT. 



Pawtucket Royal Arch Chapter; and Holy 
Sepulchre Commandery, Knights Templars. He 
was married Nov. 25, 1868, at Lonsdale, to 
Elizabeth Hollingworth of Ashton-under-Lyne. 
They have four children all born in Pawtucket : 
Charles Everett, b. Sept. 22, 1869 ; Elijah Wil- 
liam, b. April 1 6, 1873 ; Alice Selina, b. June 24, 
1877 ; William Wright, b. May 26, 1880. 

COLLINS, Joseph Wright, was born at 
Ashton-under-Lyne, March 24, 1S56. He 
attended the public .schools of Pawtucket until 
he was thirteen years old, when he went to 
work in his father's shop, and in 1884 became a 
member of the present firm of Collins Bros. He 
is a Republican in politics and is a member of 
Jenks Lodge, No. 24, A. F. and A. M., Central 
Falls ; Good Samaritan Lodge, No. 8, 1. O. O. F. ; 
Pawtucket Royal Arch Chapter ; and Holy 
Sepulchre Commandery, Knights Templars. He 
was married Oct. 17, 1883, to Eva E. Buffum of 
Millbury, Mass., and they have three children: 
Harry Wright, b. July 13, 1884; Benjamin 
P'letcher, b. Feb. 24, 1886 ; and I{lizabeth 
Selina, b. Sept. 19, 1888. 

CONANT, Hezekiah, may justly be said to 
l)e the leading manufacturer of Pawtucket. By 
his energy, foresight and abilitj- the great thread 
mills, so long known bj- his name, were origin- 
ated and developed, until to-day the\- form the 
largest industrial establishment not only in 
Pawtucket but in Rhode Island. The Conant 
family is descended from a John Conant who 
lived in Devonshire, England, during the time 
of the Reformation. He was the grandfather of 
Roger Conant, who was the founder of Salem, 
Mass., in 1626, and the first governor of the 
colony until the arrival of John Endicott late in 
1628. Roger Conant came to America about 
Jul\', 1623, it is supposed in the ship Anne, the 
third vessel to arrive at Plj-mouth. He is said 
to have been "a pious, .sober and prudent gen- 
tleman". His descendants have been substan- 
tial, honest, hard-working people, of a modest 
retiring di.sposition. As pioneers, merchants, 
manufacturers, and occasionally as clergymen 
or physicians, they have filled their places in 
life without ostentation, and but few of them 
have been law\ers or public men. 



The genealogy of the family is as follows : 
John, 1). about 1520, at Oittisham, Devonshire; 
Richard, b. about 1548, in the parish of ICast 
Budleigh : Roger, the American immigrant, 
baptised April 9, 1592, in East Budleigh, 
Devonshire; Lot, wh(j was b. about 1624 at 
Nantasket or Cape Ann; John, b. Dec. 15 1652, 
at Beverly, Mass.; Daniel b. Nov. 19, 1694, at 
Beverly; Josiah, b. Nov. 5. 1732, at Beverly; 
Josiah, b. Sept. 30, 1770, at Dudlex', Mass.; 
Hervey, b. June 3, 1796, at Dudley. 

Hezekiah was born in Dudley, Mass., Jul\- 
28, 1827, and was the fourth child of Hervey 
and Dolly (Healy) Conant. He received his 
education at Nichols Academy in his native 
town, attending it in winter, usually, and work- 
ing on his father's farm in summer. When 
seventeen j-ears old he went to Worcester and 
learned to be a printer in the office of the Wor- 
cester County Gazette, an anti-slavery weekly 
newspaper. At the end of two years the firm, 
Estey & Evans, failed, and he then worked for 
a year in the printing office of the National 
,Egis. The printing trade evidently did not 
suit him, for he then went to work in a machine 
shop, where he remained two vears. At the 
end of that time, having meanwhile saved some 
money, he took a year's course at Nichols 
Academy. Returning to work in the machine 
.shop, he spent his evenings in learning mechan- 
ical drawing and studying mechanical engineer- 
ing. As a result he became a very expert 
mechanic, and developed great ability as a 
mechanical engineer and inventor. His etluca- 
tion had in this manner been obtained in a \er\ 
practical school, but at the expense of much 
toil and hard.ship on his part. 

From this time on he may be said to have 
been a professional mechanical e.Kpert and 
inventor. He in\-ented, about 1852, a pair of 
" lasting pinchers " for the use of shoemakers, 
obtained a jiatent, but made no money out of 
the article. He then worked in Boston and 
Worcester in various machine shops, and from 
the latter place went to Hartford, where he soon 
was engaged at Colt's firearm numufactory. 
While in Hartford he made drawings for 
Christian Sharp, the inventor of the .Sharp rifle, 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



and assisted him in constructint;- machines for 
making projectiles. In 1856 he invented and 
jiatented an improvement on the Sharp rifle, 
known as the "gas check," which was con- 
sidered so important that the United States and 
British governments immediateh- ordered its 
appHcation to all arms manufactured for them 
by the Sharp Rifle Co. The same year he com- 
structed a machine for Samuel Slater & Sons 
of Webster, Mass., for sewing the selvage on 
doeskins. No patent was secured on this con- 
trivance, but it was very successful, and has 
been iu use ever since. 

About this time Mr. Conant first turned his 
attention to the improvement of machinery used 
in the thread manufacture. He constructed a 
machine for dressing sewing thread and invented 
an automatic machine for winding spool cotton, 
for which he secured a patent. The Willimantic 
Lrinen Co., after an inspection of the latter 
machine, purchased one-half the patent right, 
and engaged Mr. Conant, Feb. i. 1S59, as a 
mechanical expert, on a three years' contract. 
He remained witli this company nine years, 
renewing his three years' contract twice, and 
his salary for the last three years was double 
what it was the first three. During the first 
three years he invented the ' ' ticketing machine ' ' 
which cuts out labels, gums them, and applies 
them simultaneous!}- to each end of the thread 
.spools at the rate of one hundred per minute. 
In 1864 he visited Europe in the interest of his 
employers and inspected many of the large 
thread establi.shments in the old world, among 
them the great works of J. & P. Coats and of the 
Messrs. Clark in Paisley, Scotland. From 1865 
to 1868, the last three 3'ears of his nine years' 
service, he was superintendent of the works of 
the Willimantic Linen Co. During his connec- 
tion with this concern the company had more 
tlian doubled its capital and production. 

In 1 868 Mr. Conant resigned his position with 
the Willimantic Linen Co., and removed to Paw- 
tucket, where he organized the Conant Thread 
Co., with an authorized capital of $100,000, and 
became the treasurer of the corporation and the 
manager of the works. The first factor>-, a 
wooden Iniilding 100 feet long, 40 feet wide. 



and two stories in height, was inunediately 
erected, and put in operation. May, 1869, Mr. 
Conant again went to Europe and effected a 
combination with J. ik P. Coats of Paisley, 
Scotland, the leading manufacturers of thread 
in the world, by which that firm became a 
partner in the Pawtucket enterprise. Mr. 
Conant returned in June, and with the large 
caj)ital thus at his disposal proceeded to enlarge 
the plant in order to manufacture the Coats' 
thread. The work of erecting new buildings 
was at once begun. Mill No. 2, 300 by 70 feet, 
and four stories in height was fini.shed April, 
1870; the bleachen,- was completed in 1871 ; 
a large .spinning mill, three stories high, was 
started in 1S73 and was known as No. 3 ; Mill 
No. 4, equipped with twisting and spinning 
machinery, was erected in 1876; a dye-house 
was built in 1S77 : and in 1881, Mill No. 5, 
which is about as large as Nos. 3 and 4 together, 
was erected. Previous to 1873 the yarn was 
imported from Scotland. A great deal of the 
machinery put into these mills was^of English 
manufacture, but Mr Conant's inventions were 
used in some of the departments. To begin with, 
a great many of the operatives were brought from 
Scotland and were skilled workers who had 
been trained in the factories at Paisley. 

During all this period of development Mr. 
Conant has continued to be treasurer and man- 
ager, and the splendid organization of the 
great establishment is due to his executive 
ability and his genius for mechanical arrange- 
ment. The mammoth concern now employs 
over 2000 persons and "without doubt is the 
best arranged, best equipped, and best organ- 
ized establishment of its kind in the world." 
I'ntil 1S93 the establishment was operated 
under the name of the Conant Thread Co., but 
since then has been conducted as one of the 
branches of J. & P. Coats (Limited), but Mr. 
Conant still contiiuies as executive head of the 
great enterprise. The works now cover about 
forty acres of land and the capital inve.sted is 
more than $4,000,000. Good wages have 
always been paid to the operatives, who in 
general have consequently been of a higher 
average in intelligence and character than the 



276 



ILLUSTRAT]':!) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT 



population of the majority of factory towns. 
Many of the employees own their own homes. 
The section of Pawtuckel where these factories 
are located has been transloi-med from a wilder- 
ness of brush and woods into a i)lace of homes, 
schools, and churches. 

The caring for, directing and managing 
such an immense enterprise as the great thread 
works proved, would have been sufficient to 
ab.sorb the entire energy of most men. Mr. 
Conant did de\-ote most of his attention to tlie 
indu.stry, but he diil not allow it to entirel\- 
exclude other interests. He is president ol the 
Pawtucket Institution for Savings ; president 
and director of the Pacific National Bank ; 
vice-pre.sident of the Pawtucket Safe Deposit 
Co. ; and a director in the First National and 
the Slater National banks of Pawtucket. In 
the welfare of his native town of Dudley, Mass., 
he has manife.sted great interest. Here, with 
his family, he spends his summers. At his 
expense the old and dilapidated buildings of 
the Nichols Academy were resuscitated, new 
school edifices and dormitories erected, an 
astronomical observatory built and equipped, 
and a fine library and reading-room provided. 

One of the mo.st noteworthy acts of Mr. 
Conant's life was the erection at his own cost 
of a handsome church edifice to replace the old 
Congregational church at Dudley, which was 
destroyed by fire, June 3, 1890. The only con- 
ditions coupled with this gift was that the donor 
might have the right to put in a memorial win- 
dow to perpetuate the memory of his family and 
ancestors, and that he and his heirs would have 
a right to one pew free of tax. The corner 
stone of the edifice was laid Oct. 16, 1890, the 
bell was consecrated Sept. 29, 1S91, and the 
church was dedicated Dec. 17, 1891. The edi- 
fice is built of brick, with underpinning and 
basement of granite and trimmings of sand- 
stone. It is in the Romanesque .stjde of archi- 
tecture, seventy feet in length by forty-four feet 
in width, and has a bell tower in the centre of 
the front fagade, sixteen feet square and seventv- 
eight feet high. The church is now known as 
the Conant Memorial. The memorial window 
put in by Mr. Conant represents the celebrated 



historic event in the life of his ance.stor, Roger 
Conant, when he acted as peacemaker between 
Capt. Miles vStandish and Capt. Hewes, who 
with their followers were about to come to 
blows about a fishing stage at Cape Ann. This 
scene is certainly appropriate for a " leni])le of 
peace on earth, good will to men." 

As an inventor Mr. Conant is endowed with 
pre-eminent mental power, and his success in 
developing the great mills is largely due to his 
qualifications in that line. vStill, in the popular 
mind, because of the fact that he has outwardly 
figured chiefly as a man of affairs, his title to be 
considered a great inventor has not been ade- 
quatel\' recognized. In many v^'ays outside of his 
business has he manifested this talent. The clock 
on the Memorial church at Dudley has a number 
of very ingenious improvements made by Mr. 
Conant. In 1886 he presented to the Pawtucket 
Business Men's Association a remarkable clock 
of his own invention. It has three dials, one show- 
ing solar and another sidereal time, and the third 
shows the progess of the sun, moon and the 
earth throughout the year. 

Mr. Conant has been married three times. 
His first wife was Sarah Williams, daughter of 
Col. Morris and I{li/.abeth (Eaton) L,earned, to 
whom he was married Oct. 4, 1853. She died 
July 17, 1855. Nov. 1859, he was married to a 
sister of his first wife, Harriet Knight Learned, 
who died July 6, 1864. Dec. 5, 1865, he was 
married to Mary Eaton, daughter of Dr. 
Samuel P. and Harriet (Eaton) Knight. There 
was no issue except by the second marriage, 
and the children were a son and a daughter : 
vSamuel Morris, b. Dec. 9. 1861, married in 
Lincoln, June i, 1887, to Nelly Buell Ferguson, 
and is now the president of the Adam Sutcliffe 
Co., printers and lithographers; ICdith Adina, 
b. Sept. 19, 1863, was married Feb. 4, 1885, to 
George M. Thornton, at present treasurer of 
the Union Wadding Co. 

CORRIQAN, John P., M. D., is of the second 
generation of his family in America. His parents 
came to the United States from Ireland in 1870. 
John P. was born in Roscommon, Ireland, Nov. 
10, 1857, and is the first child of Dominick and 
Bridget (Flanagan) Corrigan. He attended 



B I C) G R A P H I E vS . 



277 



the ]5ublic scliools and completed his education 
at St. Lawrence and .St. Mary'.s College, Mon- 
treal, Canada. He studied medicine in the 
University of New York, was graduated with 
the degree of M. D. in 1883, then practiced his 
profession in New York for a few years, but in 
1885 came to Pawtucket, where he has e.stab- 
lished a large and lucrative practice, which is 
continually increasing. He is peculiarly fittted 
by temperament for the exercise of his profes- 
sion, being a man of large sj-mpathies and 
great gentleness. He is the consulting physi- 
cian for the Home for Aged Poor and for the 
Day Nursery. Nov. 24, 1886, he was married 
to Nellie G. Ford of New York, and by this 
union there are two children, Nellie, b. Sept. 
20, 1887, and Thomas, b. June 11, 1889. 

COSTELLO, John J., son of P. and Mary 
(Birmingham) Costello, was born in the west of 
Ireland in 1870. He went to school until he 
was 16 years old, then set out alone for America 
to join his sister, and arrived in Providence in 
1886. His parents remained in Ireland, where 
they are still living upon the old homestead 
where the family have resided for several gen- 
erations. A few days after his arrival he went 
to work for John Casey & Co., in the grocery 
and meat business at Olneyville. He continued 
for seven years in the Providence store, until 
1893, when he was selected to manage the new 
business which the firm opened on the corner of 
Lonsdale and Mineral Spring avenues. Wood- 
lawn. He w^as given the entire management, 
and the credit for the successful development of 
the business is due to him. He purchases 
supplies and conducts the store as if it were his 
own, and has won a large trade by sound 
methods and pleasant manners. The business 
is now groceries, meats and provisions. 

COTTRELL, John T., who for many years 
was an active business man in Pawtucket, was 
of Scotch descent. The first American ance.stor 
of the famil}' accompanied the Cabots in one of 
their exploring voyages to the New World. 
The grandfather of John T. was a man of 
affairs in Southern Rhode Island, and died at 
South King.ston, R. I. In 1S4;;, one of his 
sons, John Stanton Cottrell, born Ajiril 8, iMoi, 



was a prosperous farmer and gave all his cliild- 
ren the advantages of a good education. John 
Stanton Cottrell married Desire Pearce Northup, 
and the oldest of their children, John T. Cot- 
trell, was born at vSouth Kingstown, Aug. 2, 
'•^33- John T. received his early education in 
the high schools of his native town and after- 
wards studied at the Adelphiau Academy of 
Brockton (now Bridgewater), Mass. It was 
his intention to enter college after leaving the 
academy and later take up one of the profe.ssions 
as his life work. An end was put to this deter- 
mination on account of his eyes being exceed- 
ingly weak, and he was warned b\- his oculist to 
leave books and seek relief and rest Ijy total 
abstinence from reading. 

For the next few years he aided his father 
in superintending the large home farm. Later 
he went to Narragansett Pier where he estab- 
lished a large coal and lumber business, which 
he successfully conducted for seven j'ears. In 
1873 he moved to Pawtucket and continued in 
the same line of business, purchasing the interest 
of the late Albert Bliss in the coal and lumber 
firm of Joseph Smith & Co. About 1881 Mr. 
Cottrell purcha.sed the entire interest of the 
Joseph Smith Company, and was the sole owner 
of the business until his death, Dec. 2, 1889. 
The business is now being successfully carried 
on by his oldest son, John S. Cottrell, as trustee. 

Mr. Cottrell was a Republican in politics 
and ably represented the town of Jamestown for 
several years in the Rhode Island senate. After 
his removal to Pawtucket his business interests 
were so large and engrossing that he had little 
time to give to politics. His only public office 
here was on the school committee from which he 
resigned, after a .short time of service. He was 
an attendant of the First Baptist church, was a 
member of the Masonic Order, and belonged to 
Hol\- Sepulchre Commandery, Knights Tem- 
plars. Feb. 7, 1864, Mr. Cottrell was married 
to iMueline Taylor of South King.stown. He 
was survived by six children, of which number 
only two were adults at the time of his death. 

John T. Cottrell in every respect was a good 
t> jie of a successful business man. During his 
life of close application to business he was sim- 



278 



ILLUSTRATKD HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



pie and imassuniing in his manners, even to the 
lowest. He was honored, loved and universall\' 
respected wherever he was known. He died of 
acute pneumonia, after three days' iUness. 

CRAWFORD, C. Fred., was born in l>aw- 
tucket, Mass., Dec. 27, 1844, and is the ninth 
child of George and Hannah Crawford. He 
attended the public schools of his native town 
until he was eighteen years old. His first occu- 
pation was in the factory of R. .^c G. Cushman, 
where he started as reaming boj- and steadily 
passed through all the \arious departments, 
learning the details of each, then entered the 
office as shipping clerk and was finall\- made 
bookkeeper and clerk after the 
death of Mr. Phillips, one of 
the partners. Soon after, he 
was admitted to the firm under 
the name of Atwood, Crawford 
& Co. The business con- 
tinned to increase and was 
incorporated under the style 
of The Atwood-Crawford Co., 
which is now one of the largest 
establishments engaged in the 
manufacture of spools in New 
England. Mr. Crawford is 
now a member of the board of 
directors. He is a Republi- 
can, and has occupied various 
positions from fireward to as- 
semblyman. He was secre- c. fred 
tary of the Central Falls Fire "'''' '='-"'< ' 
District from 187S until 1890, 
when he declined re-election. He serv^ed in 
the General Assembly of 1.S87 and 1888 as 
a mend)er of the lower house from Lincoln. 
In 1S91 he was elected town clerk of 
Lincoln and is now city clerk of the cit\- 
of Central Falls and also clerk of the pro- 
bate court. For years he was clerk and after- 
wards was moderator of the voting district of 
Central I'alls in the town of Lincoln. He is 
now chairman of the Republican City Com- 
mittee of Central Falls, treasurer of the Repub- 
lican State League, and treasurer of the Lincoln 
Republican A.ssociation. In fraternal affairs he 
is identified with the American Order of United 




Workmen, Pawtucket Lodge, No. i, having 
been one of the charter members, and holds 
certificate No. i, the first ever issued in this 
state. He is also Past Chancellor of Washing- 
ton Lodge, No. 4, Knights of Pythias ; and a 
member of Pawtucket Council, No. 537, Royal 
Arcanum ; was foreman of the Pacific Steam 
Engine Co. for two years; is now president of 
the Central p-alls Veteran Firemen's Associa- 
tion, and is an associate member of Ballou Post, 
No. 3, G. A. R. Mr. Crawford belongs to the 
Central Falls Congregational church and has 
been Sunday school librarian continuously for 
more than 33 years. He was married to Mattie 
M. Horton of Smithfield, by 
which union there are two 
children : Frederick S., b. 
July 13, 1869; and C. Louie, 
b. Feb. 25, 1879. 

CRAWFORD, James M., 
was born in Bellville, N. J., 
vSept. I, 1832, and is descen- 
ded on his father's side from 
an old Scotch faniih-, but his 
mother was a native of Eng- 
land. He attended the public 
schools of Pawtucket, Mass., 
— whither his family had re- 
moved when he was two 
\ears of age, — until he at- 
tained his fifteenth year. 
Upon the death of his father 
in 1848 he was compelled to 
go to work in a cotton 
mill, but desiring to learn a trade he entered 
the foundry of James S. Brown in 1850 and 
soon became a proficient moulder. Owing to a 
severe accident he was compelled to abandon 
this occupation, and in i860 he weiU into the 
flour, grain and grocery business. During 
the civil war he offered his services as a soldier 
but was rejected three times on account of 
physical disabilities ; but he assisted in raising 
two companies in Pawtucket, and was also an 
active mendier of the Pawtucket Light Guard, 
of which he was finall\- made payma.ster, with the 
rank of lieutenant, on the staff of Gen. Horace 
Daniels. He continued in the grocer\- business 



CRAWFORD 

' CENTRAL FAL 



BIOGRAPHIES, 



279 



until i>^7i. wlien he became a travelin;j^ salesman 
in the New Kngland and Middle states, until 
1.SS5. He was from 1S85 to 1893 superintendent 
of the City Coal Co. of Pawtucket. In politics 
Mr. Crawford is a Republican. He has always 
taken an active and .spirited part in public 
affairs. In 1886 he was elected city .sealer of 
weights and measures and was re-elected in 
1887, 1891-92-93-94-95 and '96 and was appointed 
state sealer in October, 1S92, which position 
he now holds in connection with the superin- 
tendency of .street numbering. He is president 
of the Rhode Island Sealers of Weights and 
Measures Association. He is a member of the 
Knights of Pythias and treas- 
urer of the Endowment Rank, 
a fraternal branch of that 
Order. He was actively con- 
nected with the volunteer fire 
department, and was treas- 
urer of Monitor Engine Co. 
for fifteen years. Jan. i, 
1855, he was married to Annie 
E. Hart of Central Falls, and 
they have two children; Frank 
Iv, b. March 8, 1858, and 
Samuel H., b. Sept. 15, i860. 
CROSSLEY, Robert, was 
bcirn in Halifax, West Riding, 
Yorkshire, l^ngland, Oct. 26, 
1845, and was the only child 
of Henry and Mary ( Cross- 
ley) Crosslex'. He attended 
the private schools of his 
native town and after completing h 
cation learned the trade of dyein 
finishing dress goods. He worked 




THOMAS CROSTON, 



edu- 

and 

at this 

occupation until 1881 when he came to the 
Ihiited vStates at the solicitation of W. I*. N: 
F. C. Sayles to take charge of dyeing and 
finishing at .Sayle.sville. He remained at 
these works until 1883, when he severed 
his connection and established himself in the 
manufacture of chemicals, in company with 
Alfred Harrison, under the firm name of .\. 
Harri.son & Co. The factory was located on 
Pine street, Pawtucket, until 1883, when the 
works were removed to the present location. 



Charles street. North I'rovidence. In political 
nuitters Mr. Crossley is a Republican, because 
the tinkering with the tariff had nearly ruined 
the firm's busine.ss by destroying the market for 
many articles manufactured. Mr. Cro.ssley is a 
member of the Park Place Congregational 
church. The only organization to which he 
belongs is the Societj- of Good Fellows. Mr. 
Crossley has been twice married, and his family 
at present living is : Lily, the wife of F. F. 
Halliday, Jr., of Pawtucket; James H. ; Law- 
ton; and Maud M., the wife of Charles I). 
Anderson of Providence. His maternal grand- 
father, Thomas Crossley, was b. July 26, 1797. 
His grandfather on his 
father's side was Benjamin 
(a brother of Thomas), who 
was b. Nov. 26. 1799. His 
mother, Mary Crossley, was 
b. Aug. 31, 1826, and his 
father, Henry, was b. the 
same year at Halifax. The 
family is a very old one and 
has been in business since 
1635. Some of the members 
have been distingui.shed and 
one of its branches is a titled 
family. 

CROSTON, Thomas, son 
of James and Hannah ( Cooke ) 
Cro.ston, was born Nov. 20. 
1843, in Manchester, England, 
and there received his educa- 
tion. At the age of sixteen he 
braid mill, and followed this 
He then opened a 



went to work in 
occupation for twelve 3'ears. 
.stationer}' store in Manchester, but disposed of 
it six years later, and emigrated to America. 
He came to Pawtucket, May i, 1878, and 
engaged as a workman with the firm of George 
H. Fuller & Son, manufacturers of jewelers' 
findings, with whom he remained until 1893, 
when he accepted his present position with the 
.State Census Bureau in Providence. Mr. 
Croston is a Ke]niblican and has been active in 
politics since 1880. p'or some years he has 
been secretary of the Pawtucket Republican 
Cit\' Cnmmillee. He was a charier member of 



28o 



ILLUSTRATl'I) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT. 



Charles K. Cliickoriiig Lods^c, K. of P., ami 
belongs to the Knights of the Ancient I'^sscnic 
Order and the Oarfield Club. 

Mr. Croston is a member of an old Lanca- 
shire family which derives its patronymic from 
the parish of Croston, near Preston, England. 
The name is of frequent occurrence in the 
earlier English records, and the .social status of 
those who bore it is indicated b\- the suffix 
" Armigeri " — a distinction which in those da\s 
had a meaning, the old heralds onl)- recognizing 
the right to bear arms in the case of those who 
could establish their claim and prove their 
descent from "gentility." The family suffered 
in estate for its loyalty to the 
crown during the civil wars. 
On the maternal side the 
Crostons have given a bishop 
and archbishop to the Church 
of England. The family were 
prominent for many years 
and ha\c been identified with 
the professions and indu.stries 
for generations, being people 
of sulistance in the region. 

CROWNINSHIELD, Walter 
Hamilton, was born in Paw- 
tucket in iS4<;. His educa- 
tion was obtained in the public 
schools of his native town and 
at I'ryant & .Stratton's Busi- 
ness College, Providence. 
After graduating from the president of 

business college he entered 
the large dry goods house of Edward Mason, 
then located in the Arcade, Providence, as 
cashier. Later he kept books for several firms 
in Pawtucket, having desk room in the law- 
office of the late Theodore Lord, and afterwards 
in that of Charles A. Warland. In the spring of 

1X70 he decided to enter into the real estate 
business and secured an office in Lee's block, 
then just finished. The business prospered, 
and he has changed his location twice, once to 
the Pardon Jc-nks Ijuilding near the granite 
bridge, then t<} the present location, room 16, 
Dexter building. Mr. Crownin.shield is one of 
the jiionters in the real estate business, the only 




JOHN H. GUMMING, 



firm in the business when he started being War- 
land & Adams. P'or the past few years Mr. Crown- 
inshield has been building houses to sell on the 
installment ])lan. In connection with his real 
estate business Mr. Crownin.shield has loaned 
over a million of dollars for his patrons on fir.st 
mortgages of real estate, and never had but one 
foreclosure. He also does a general fire insur- 
ance and stock business, repre.sentiiig the agency 
of Starkweather &: Shepley of Providence. 

GUMMING, John Maiden, was born in Pais 
le>-, Scotland, .Sept. 24, 1S44, and is the fourth 
child of John and Jeannette (Kerr) Cununing. 
He attended the public schools of his native 
town until he was twelve 
years old, when he was ap- 
prenticed to the weaver's 
trade and served his time 
making the celebrated Pais- 
ley shawls, after which he 
learned to be a dyer. Not 
seeing favorable opportunities 
for advancement in Scotland 
he came to the United States 
in 1869 and secured emplo\-- 
ment in the Hamilton Mills, 
Hamilton, R. I. In 1S77 he 
established himself as a dyer 
in Pawtucket on Leather 
a\-einie, near P'airbrother's 
tanner\ , but two years later 
Ijought land and erected his 
10 HARiEv CO. present works on the bank of 

the Blackstone river, rear 321 
North Main street. In 1883 he added a laundry. 
Both industries have assumed large proportions 
and the latter is the largest of its kind in this 
state. He is also president of the David Har- 
ley Co. Mr. Cumming is a Republican, and a 
firm believer in the protection of a high tariff. 
He is a member of the New England ( )i(ler of 
Protection, of the Knights of Pythias, and of 
Clan Eraser, Order of Scottish Clans, of whit-li 
latter body he is Past Grand Chief. He was mar- 
ried to Margaret Patterson of Bellfron. Stirling- 
shire, vScotland, and by this union there were five 
children ; John S., William R., Oeorge A., Mar- 
garet and Isabelle. The latter died in childhood. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



281 



CURRIER, Andrew J., Hk- nianai^x-r of the 
Albion Co.'s mills at \'aney Falls and the Valley 
Falls Co.'s mills at .\lbion, was born in Fall 
River, Oct. 2, 1S50. He attended the public 
.schooLs o{ Fall River until he was sixteen years 
old, and then studied telegraphy for a year. 
The next two years he was in the insurance 
business, after which he came to Rhode Island 
and went into the office of the Albion Co. as a 
clerk. He held that position for twent^'-five 
\ears, working in the various places where the 
company had mills or offices. For the past three 
years he has been manager for both the Albion 
Co. and the Valley Falls Co. This has added 
greatly to his responsibilities, but his long 
training in all the details of manufacturing 
through his extended experience has enabled 
him to administer the combined properties to 
rare advantage. About 475 hands are employed 
in the mills at Valley Falls, and 400 in the mills 
at Albion, and the goods manufactured are 
shirtings, sheetings and print cloths. 

In politics Mr. Currier has been very active 
for many years, and has been and is the leader 
of the Republican part)- in the town of Cumber- 
land. He was a member of the town council 
for eleven years, during nine of which he was 
president. In 1891-2 he was a representative 
from the town to the Oeneral Assembly, and 
was state .senator in 1S92-3 and 1894 to 1896. 
During his terms in the legi.slature he served on 
the committees on corporations and on judiciary. 
He and his family attend the Baptist church. 
In 1874 Mr. Currier was married to Lucy S. 
Clark, of Valley Falls, and has two children, 
Carrie C, and Andrew R. 

CUSHMAN, Robert, spool manufacturer, 
was born on the old family homestead in the 
western part of Attleboro, Mass., Sept. 17, 1S21. 
He was a lineal descendant of Robert Cushman, 
one of the founders of the Plymouth colony. 
His parents were Captain Samuel and vSophia 
(George) Cu.shman, both of whom died in 1864, 
at an advanced age. His father served as cap- 
tain of the militia, in the war of 1812, and for 
eleven consecutive years was one of the select- 
men of Attleboro. Robert Cushman was edu- 
cated in the countrv district schools and at the 




ROBERT CUSHMAN, 
FOUNDER Of THE ATWOOO-CRAWFORO CO. 

academies of Attleboro and Pawtucket. At the 
age of eighteen he commenced teaching a dis- 
trict school in his native town, and was thus 
employed for several years during the winter, 
the rest of of his time being occupied in farming. 
Having a natural aptitude for mechanics, he 
entered a wood-turning shop in 1844, and after 
working for others in Central Falls, Woonsocket 
and Pawtucket, commenced in 1847, in a small 
wa>-, the main business of his life, — the manu- 
facture of spools for winding cotton, linen, and 
silk threavl. At this time there were not more 
than three or four shops in the world where 
such sj)ools were made by machinerx'. Not 
being able to purchase such machines as were 
then in use, he and his workman invented and 
constructed machines which soon superseded 
all others, and were of such a superior charac- 
ter that, with later improvements, they are now 
in general use, although the business has 
increased .several hundredfold in this country. 
In 1850 he removed to Central l"alls. and in 
1S57 moved across the river to Pleasant \'ievv, 
Pawtucket, where, with his brother George, he 
erected the building now occupied by The 
Atwood-Crawford Co. He invented the adjust- 
able features of the pivot-hanger for shafting, 



2.S: 



I , I . r S 'P K A T I", I ) 1 1 I S T () R V O 1<' 1' A W T VCK Iv T. 



now ill };i.'iiL-ial use. Imh smiic liiiii- Ik- was also 
engaged in knitting by inachiner\ , and iiuented 
\aluable iniprovemeiits in kiiitliiig iiiachines, 
one of which was patented. In 1.S75, his health 
being impaired, he sold out his interest in the 
spool business. In 1873 he entered, as a silent 
partner, the firm of Cushman, Wilcox & Co., 
coal dealers, who carried on an extensive busi- 
ness on the wharf now occupied by 01ne\' >.N: 
Payne Bros. Through the failure of this firm 
in iSSo, the savings of his life were swept 
away. In his later years he served as adminis- 
trator and assignee for various estates and was 
in the employ of Charles A. Luther & Co. as 
bookkeeper until iS<j(i, when failiii;^ health 
compelled him to retire from acli\e business. 
After a long and ])aiii(ul illness he died Aug. 
17, 1891. 

P'or two years he was a town councilman in 
Pawtucket before the con.solidation of the two 
villages ; for three years he was a member of the 
school committee and for twelve years was vice- 
president of the Providence County Savings 
Bank. Me was an active worker in the temper- 
ance cause most of his life, and for several years 
w-as a vice-j)resident of the Rhode Island Tem- 
perance Union. In 1S41 he united with the 
First Congregational church in Attleboro, and 
■was elected deacon in 184.S, retaining his con- 
nection with that church until 1858, when he 
joined the Congregational church in Central 
Falls, of which he was also elected deacon in 
1866. From 1862 to 1872 he was superintendent 
of the Sunday school of that church. Mr. 
Cushman was married in 1847, to Louisa 
Draper, daughter of Ebenezer and Beulah 
(Bradford) Draper, of Attleboro, Mass., and a 
descendant of Governor William Bradford. 
They have had four children, two of whom are 
living: Ellen, who married R. Anthou}- Gage 
of this city and who died Dec. 17, 1893; 
Josephine, who died in childhood : Louisa, who 
is a teacher in the public schools of Pawtucket ; 
and Robert, who is secretary and superintendent 
of The Atwood-Crawford Co. 

The DARLING FAHILY is one of the oldest 
in New EIngland. There are numerous branches, 
which are all supposed to have a common origin. 



The Massachusetts and Rhode Island branches 
are descended from Dennis and llaniiah 
(Francis) Darling, who were iiiarried at Hiaiii- 
tree, Mass., by Peter Brackett, Xo\-, 3, 1662. 
They removed from Braintree to Mcndon, Mass., 
in 16S0. Their son, known as Captain John, b. 
at Braintree 1664, settled at Bellingham, Mass., 
was the father of thirteen children and the 
ancestor of all the Rhode Island Darlings. He 
d. in 1754. His son Captain Samuel, was b. in 
1695, and tl. I''eb. 17, 1774. Deacon Sanuiel 
Darling (2d) the son of Caj)t. Samuel, wash, in 
1719, (1. June 12. 1814; he was married to 
I'^sther, a sister of Col. I{liphalet Slack, and she 
d. l'"el). iS, 1.S16, at the age of 80. Col. Slack 
be(|ueatlied to her legal heirs the "old Bank 
house," on Main street and other property in 
Pawtucket. Mass. Samuel Darling (3d) the son 
of Deacon Samuel, was b. in Bellingham, Mass., 
Aug. 8, 1759. d. Jan. ifi, 1S51, and his wife was 
Sarah Burr, who was b. at Bellingham, June 14, 
1764, and d. Jan. 31, 1826 ; they had ten children. 

Samuel (4th) the third son and fifth child 
of Samuel (3d), and Sarah (Burr) Darling, was 
also b. in Bellingham, Aug. 15, 1793, and d. in 
1874. He was a man of sterling character and 
stood so well with the community- in which he 
lived that when the neighbors had disputes 
which could not be settled amicably they were 
referred to "Sam" Darling or "Squire" Lewit, 
and their decisions were so wise aud just that they 
were rarely ever appealed from. Squire Dar- 
ling w^as the father of eight sons, a number of 
whom became distinguished citizens : George, 
b. Aug. 16, 1815, d. Jan. 7, 1877; Charles, b. 
Jan. 21, 1816, d. Jan. 31, 1835 ; Gilbert, b. Jan. 
21, 1 8 18; Samuel (5th), b. March 2, 1S25; 
Lucius Bowles, b. Oct. 3, 1827, d. Jan. 3, 
1896; Ruel Smith, b. Ma}- 2, 1830, d. June 14, 
1883; Edwin, 1). June i, 1834; Lynian Morse, b. 
May 5, 1850. Collins Darling, an older brother 
of Samuel (4th), was b. in Bellingham, Mass., 
Oct. 14, 1795, and d. ill Pawtucket, Dec. 27, 
1843; he was a well known law\er in the 
Bristol county courts. 

All of the Darling brothers are men of 
substance, possessed of the qualities of mind 
which carry success in whatever they undertake 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



283 



to accomplish. The family, both past 
and present, are fine specimens of physi- 
cal manhood and good types of the sons 
of the New England 3-eonianry. The 
name Samuel seems to have been a 
favorite one with this branch of the 
Darlings, the first Samuel having been 
a great-great-grandfather of the present 
generation, and the name has been 
borne by the heads of the family for 
four generations. 

DARLING, Edwin, the .seventh son 
of Samuel and Margaret (Smith) Dar- 
ling, was born in Bellingham, Ma.ss., 
June I, 1 1^34. During the winter he 
attended the village school and worked 
on his father's farm in the sunnner; 
but from his fifteenth to his eigh- 
teenth years he obtained a more ad- 
vanced education at a private school. 
He began his active life as a 
dealer in cattle in the Brighton and 
Providence markets, in which business 
he continued three years. He came to 
Pawtucket in 1855, at the age of 21 
years, and opened a butcher store and 
general market on North Main street, 
near Main, iii connection with his brother 
Ruel S., which he continued until the 
latter part of i860. In 1861 he opened 
the Eagle market on East avenue, then 
Pleasant street, near Main .street, and conducted 
it until 1880. 

Mr. Darling has been prominent in advoca- 
ting all the great improvements that have con- 
tributed so much to the growth and development 
of Pawtucket. He sen-ed in the council of the 
old town of Pawtucket, R. I., and was one of 
the commission that erected the Exchange 
street bridge. He was also instrumental in 
abolishing the turnpikes in this state and paid 
the last toll at the tollhouse on the Providence 
and Pawtucket turnpike, now Pawtucket avenue. 
He ser\-ed two years as a member of the school 
committee and was chairman of the building 
committee that erected the Church Hill and 
Grove .street schoolhou.ses, which are among the 
finest in the city. It was largely through his 




SAMUEL DARLING (4th.) 



efforts that the state ajijiropriated S2o,ooo for 
the con.struction of the " Red Bridge " with a 
draw of 80 feet, replacing an old structure that 
was an impediment to navigation and a source 
of continual litigation for many years. He was 
one of the commissioners appointed to erect the 
Providence County Court House in Providence. 
The commission discharged its duties .so satis- 
factorily that the legislature passed a special 
resolution of thanks and commendation for the 
efficiency of the work, and especially for the 
fact that the original appropriation had not been 
exceeded. This result was very unusual and 
the credit was chiefly due to Mr. Darling. He 
was turnpike commissioner from 1S71 to 1874 
when the office was abolished : was connnis- 
sioner on diseased cattle in 1871 ; and was a 



284 



I L LUST RAT I'D MI STORY Ol- I'AW T U C K IvT. 



nieiuber of the ci)iiiini.ssioii appointed in 1S87 to 
ilivide the city of Providence into ten wards. 
In addition to all this he served se\en \ears in 
the state legislature, lieginning in 1867. 

The greatest work of his life, and that 
wliicli lias contributed the most towards the 
growth of Pawtucket in the last fifteen years, 
was all this time receiving his most earnest 
thought and close attention. That was the 
building of the water works. Mr. Darling was 
identified with this undertaking from the begin- 
ning. .\lter a great deal of discussion, finally, 
at a town meeting, held March 30, 1S77, the 
town voted, 520 to 505, to introduce water for 
fire and domestic purposes, from Abbott Run. 
This question having been settled, Mr. Darling 
moved that the town appropriate $400,000 for 
the constrnctioii of the water works, and this 
motiori was carried without a dissenting voice. 
A board of w-ater commissioners was elected, 
and the work commenced. Two years later, 
.\pril I, 1S79, Mr. Darling was elected one of 
the water commissioners, and served for a year. 
The other two commissioners at that time were 
Samuel S. Collyer and Isaac Shove. The 
works were completed in accordance with the 
original plan during that year, and then a board 
of water commissioners to care for the works 
were ap])ointed, consisting of Edwin A. (irout, 
Robert D. Mason and Lucius B. Darling. 

April 2, 1880, Edwin Darling was appointed 
superintendent of the water works, a position 
he continued to fill up to April i, 1894. In 
1S80 water was supplied to East Providence, 
in 1881 to the towns of Cumberland and Lin- 
coln and in 1884 to Berkeley and .Xslildii. 
With the increased demand for water it was 
found necessary to build No. :; ])unijiing station 
at \'alley Falls, the great storage reservoir at 
Diamond Hill, the dam at Happy Hollow, and 
then in 1S88, No. 3 pumping station. All this 
work was done under the personal supervision 
of Mr. Darling and he drafted the original out- 
line of construction. His success with the 
Pawtucket works was recognized by associa- 
tions and scientific publications throughout the 
country. As a result, on invitation, he prepared 
and read many valuable papers on the construc- 



tion and management of water works before the 
American and New Ivngland Water Works 
Associations, and was often consulted by engi- 
neers and commissions from other states. On 
retiring from the position of superintendent in 
A])ril, 1896, Mr. Darling was presented with a 
gold watch and chain b\' the citizens, and a 
Knight Templar's clianii b>- the water coiiimis- 
sioners, the ])rcseiitati()ii speeches being respec- 
tively iiKule 1)\' ex-mayor James lirown and 
Cicneral Olney Arnold. 

Mr. Darling has always been a Republican 
in jiolitics. He was a member of the volunteer 
fire department for 20 years and was the last 
foreman of the "Old Hay Cart " and the first 
foreman of the vSteamer Rhode Island, No. i. 
He was commissary sergeant of the Paw- 
tucket Horse Guards for a nniiilier of years. 
Darlington station, on the east side, was so 
named by the New York, Boston and Provi- 
dence Railroad in recognition of his services in 
building up that section of Pawtucket. At 
present Mr. Darling conducts a large and very 
successful real estate business. 

For nearly thirty-eight years he has been 
a Freemason, and is connected with Union 
Lodge, Royal Arch Chapter, and Holy Sepul- 
chre Commandery of Pawtucket. He has been 
an attendant of the Pawtucket Congregational 
church for more than 20 \ears. March 4, 1857, 
he was married to Anna, daughter of Caleb 
Adams of Bellingham, Mass., by which union 
there were two children, one of whom survives, 
.Samuel vS., b. June 25, 1858, who is now superin- 
tendent of the water works of Pawtucket. His 
first wife d. Jan. 30, 1S60. Dec. 27, i860, he 
was married to his second wife, Abbie A., 
daughter of Ruel Adams of Bellingham, 
Mass., b\ which union there were six chil- 
dren, all of whom are dead. His second wife 
d. Nov. I'l, 1S74. Jan. 17, 1876, he was 
married to his third wile, Mar\- E., daughter 
of Cheney P. vSheddon of .Sturbridgc, Mass., 
by which union there are four children, three 
girls and one boy : Mary Sheddon, b. Nov. 
2, 1866; Hannah Corbin, b. May 7, 187S ; 
Lyman M., b. Sejit. 30, 1879; Helen .Mice, 
b. Sept. 30, 1885. 



B I O O R A P H I Iv S . 



DARLING, Lucius Bowles, capitalist, 
.statesman, lieuteiiant-govc-nior of Rhode Island 
and founder of large enterprises, was the fifth 
.son of Samuel and Margaret (Smith) Darling. 
He was b. at Bellingham, Mass., Oct. p,, i<S27, 
and d. at Pawtucket, R. I., Jan. 3. iSc/). He 
was a man of large calibre, and was one of the 
ablest and most distinguished men that tlie 
Darling family has produced in this country. 
He was the sole creator of his own sjilendid 
career and his achievements were the fruits of 
his own genius. The greater part of his long 
and useful life was spent in this community, 
where by diligent application to business, 
prudence, integrity and enterprise, he attained a 
position of eminence among.st the representative 
men of the state. 

Mr. Darling was a man of positive coiu'ic- 
tions and manlj- courage, of clear judgment, 
.strong determination and wise forethought, of 
good executive ability, and he was safe and con- 
servative in council. The success of the numer- 
ous financial and business corporations of which 
he was a member, and of several of which he 
was president, exemplified his large capacity 
for commercial and manufacturing pursuits. 
But he was not simply a business man ; he \\ as 
of .statesman-like mould. He filled with credit 
and honor one of the highest and mo.st exacting 
official positions in the .state government. He 
was a representative American citizen of the 
broadest type and best qualifications. He was 
versed in the principles of good government 
and his direction of many affairs of state bore 
excellent testimony to his quickness and .sound- 
ness of judgment upon vital questions concern- 
ing the welfare of the people. In social life as 
well, Mr. Darling's broatl and generous ini 
pulses, uniform kindness of heart, high social 
character and large benevolence, made him one 
of the most beloved of citizens. Probably few 
men did more towards the promotion of chari- 
table enterprises. Of pleasing address, agree- 
able in manner, courteous in bearing and given 
to hospitality, his circle of acquaintance was 
extensive. Mr. Darling began his business life 
with no diher ca])ital than his own natural 
abililv and determination to succeed, and when 



his distinguished career ended, he was possessed 
of the abundant fruits of his labors, and honored 
in every respect by his fellow citizens. 

He was born and grew to manhood on his 
father's farm. His education was obtained in 
the common schools of his native village during 
the winter months, while his summers were 
de\oled wholly to work upon the farm. When 
he attained his twenty-second year he abandoned 
farming and came to Providence in search of 
employment more congenial to his tastes and 
am1)itio:i^. In 1850 he settled in Pawtucket, 
at that time a part of North Providence, and in 
1S52, in a small way, established at Mineral 
vSjirings an abattoir in which every part of the 
animals slaughtered was utilized. He forced 
the wa>' to success. The business grew apace. 

He carefully invested his profits in enlarg- 
ing the ])lant and increasing its capacity. He 
studied out the jiroblem of conducting the 
business njjon a SNStem which presented 
and turned to practical use every portion 
of the crude material. He succeeded in 
utilizing material which had been previ- 
onsl\- wasted. New methods were created, 
details perfected, and improvements invented 
for the speedier handling of material. New 
products were also manufactured. He sold the 
meat, rendered the tallow, prepared tripe, and 
converted the refuse into fertilizers. The busi- 
ness was successful from the start and increased 
rapidly ; but the preparation of fertilizers 
proved the most profitable, and he soon aban- 
doned butchering and confined his efforts to the 
other branches. In 1865 he began to grind 
bones and a little later put the product on the 
market as a fertilizer. Ever since then high 
grade fertilizers have been the leading sjiecial- 
ties manufactured : but tallow, tripe, pigs' feet, 
neatsfoot oil, and other resultants of animal 
carcasses are also produced. 

His brother, Lyman M. Darling, who had 
come to work for him in 1869, was admitted to a 
partnership in I^^74, when the firm Ijecame L. B. 
Darling & Co., and in 1881 his two sons, Ira C. 
and Lucius B., Jr., became members of the 
firm. In the latter year, on account of the 
rapid increase of the business, a branch house 



286 



ILLUSTRATIvD HISTORY OF TAWTUCKKT 



was established at Chicago under the name of 
Ira C. Darling & Co. This course was taken 
to facilitate the purchase of cattle and other 
supplies, which, as Chicago is the center of the 
cattle business, could be more readily transacted 
there than anywhere in the country. After the 
death of Ira C. July 21, iSyi, the Chicago 
branch was incorporated under the name of 
Darling (Sc Co. 

The I'awtucket business was incorporatetl in 
March, 1884, under the name of the L. B. Darling 
Fertilizer Co. From the beginning it has been 
carried on at Mineral Springs, on the western 
border of Pawtncket. At present the plant 
consists of an extensive group of buildings, 
covering six and a half acres of ground. The 
annual product is 30,000 tons of fertilizers, be- 
sides large quantities of other products, and the 
raw material used amounts to about 10,000,000 
pounds annually. The products are sold all over 
the United States and Europe. About eighty 
persons are constantly' employed in the works. 

Mr. Darling's business connections were 
very numerous. At the time of his death he 
was president of the h. B. Darling Fertilizer 
Co.; of the Pacific National bank, where he had 
ser\-ed for twenty years; the Pawtucket Gas Co. 
from 1880; and the Swan Point Cemetery Co. 
since 1879; and he was a tru.stee in the Paw- 
tucket Institution for Savings. He was also a 
director in the Pawtucket Mutual Fire Insur- 
ance Co., and was one of the originators, and 
for many years was a director of the Pawtucket 
street railway. He was also a member of the 
state board of education for many years. In 
1880 he erected the Music Hall building, which 
when completed was the largest and finest 
structure in the centre of Pawtucket, and was 
the first notable jniblic ini])rovc'nicnt in the cit\- 
as it exists to-da\ . 

In public matters Mr. Darling always dis- 
played an active interest and served the people 
in nearly every capacity from town councilman 
to lieutenant governor of the state, which latter 
office he filled from 1885 to 1887. Politically 
he was always a Republican. In North Provi- 
dence he was a member of the town council in 
1861-3, and served for a number of years as one 



of the school connnittee. For about fifteen 
years he was w:ili.-r connnissioner of the tnwn 
and cit\- of Pawtucket. In iSSi he was appointed 
harbor connnissioner by Governor Littlefield and 
re-appointed by Governor Bourn in 1883. For 
a nundjer of years he was a director of the vState 
Home and School. The .secrets of Mr. Darling's 
noted success were his uprightness of character, 
his unbounded energy and his sterling connnon 
sense. 

With a private business so extensive one 
would suppose that all of Mr. Darling's time 
would have been consumed in discharging the 
duties incident to his business, and that he 
could not find time to devote to the service of 
the people ; yet whenever his counsels were 
sought he responded to the public demands 
and gave his time as liberally as if he had no 
other object calling for his attention. The 
records bear\vituess that nearl}- every honr .Mr. 
Darling gave to public affairs was at the sacri- 
fice of his private interests. He consented to 
sen-e the city and state against his personal 
preferences, yielding only to the solicitations of 
others. 

Governor Darling was ahva\s very much 
interested in the veterans of the ci\il war. and 
in the movement toward the soldiers' monu- 
ment. He was especially friendly towards 
Tower Post, No. 17, G. .\. R., assisting the 
organization cheerfull}- on many occasions. 
He presented the Post with a handsome and 
costly memorial volume. He traveled exten- 
sively in his own country as well as in hairope, 
and in his delightful home on Walcott street are 
many works of art which were gathered from 
time to time in the x'aricnis lands which he 
visited. 

No\'. 7, 1847, he was married to Angeline 
II. Armington, and ))>■ that union there have 
been si.x children, four of whom are now living: 
Lucius B. Darling, Jr. : Mary ICvelyn, wife of 
J. G. Jefferds, of Worcester, Mass. ; Ada }■'... wile 
ol George A. Carpenter; and Lovinia, wife of 
Charles A. Fales of Pawtucket. 

DARLING, Lucius Bowles, Jr., iIk- fifth 
child of Lucius B. aiid Angeline H. ( .Vrmington) 
Darling, wasbornin North Providence, R. I., Mav 



15IOC, RAPIIIEwS. 



287 



25. iSfio. He attended the public scliools of his 
native town until he attained his fifteenth year. 
IJeing too j-oung to be admitted to the Pawtucket 
high school, he then went to a private school in 
Foxboro, Mass., where he studied for two years, 
and afterwards took a two gears' course in 
Mowry & Goff' s Engli.sh and Classical School, 
Providence. After leaving school he at once 
went into his father's luisiness, learned its 
details and was quick to master the business 
In 1 88 1 he became a partner in the firm of L. B. 
Darling & Co., which was incorporated in March, 
1884, as the L,. B. Darling Fertilizer Co., and 
on the death of his father became its president. 
During these 5'ears he and his uncle, Lyman M. 
Darling, were responsible managers of , the busi- 
ness, as his father was then so greatly absorbed 
with other interests. Though very young he 
developed a capacit}" for business which was 
unu.sual in a man of his age. He assisted in 
the management of the office and superintended 
the practical operation of the works. 

Mr. Darling has developed the capacity of 
a man of much business sagacity, energy and 
foresight. He is quick of conception, thorough 
in methods, of great integrity, and ranks high 
as a man of commercial ability. He exhibits the 
valuable traits of character which made his 
father a man of exceptional note. He is a 
Republican in politics, an attendant of the 
Park Place Congregational church, a member 
of the Pawtucket Business Men's A.ssociation, 
and is also a 32d degree F'ree Mason. Nov. 
22, 1881, he was married to Emma Jean, daugh- 
ter of ex-postmaster Isaac R. Wilkinson of Paw- 
tucket, and by this union there is one child, 
Lucius B., (3d) b. in Pawtucket, Sept. 23, 1S94. 

Since the death of his brother Ira C, 
July 21 , [891, the responsibilities of the Chicago 
house fell upon Lucius B., Jr. He spent the 
greater part of his time for two j-ears in Chicago, 
and he has ever since given a considerable por- 
tion of his time to the management of the 
Chicago house, being at present vice-president 
of the corporation. On the death of his father 
he became tru.stee of the Music Hall estate, and 
his mother and he are executors of the entire 
estate of his father. Under these circumstances 



the practical management of the estate devolves 
almost wholly upon him. Mr. Darling now 
resides in a fine mansion house, corner of 
Walcott and Grove streets, in which he first 
took up his residence, October, 1895. 

DARLING, Lyman florse, was born in 
Bellingham, Mass., May 5, 1850, and was the 
eighth son of Samuel Darling (4th) by his second 
wife, Jidia Mor.se, of which union Lyman M. was 
the onl\ child. He attended the public schools of 
his native town until he attained his fifteenth year 
and completed his education at Dean Academy, 
Franklin, Mass., from which he was graduated 
when nineteen jears old. In 1869 he came to 
Pawtucket, was employed by his brother Lucius 
B. in the fertilizer business at Mineral Springs, 
and was admitted as a partner in 1874, under the 
firm name of L. B. Darling & Co. The busi- 
ness increased so that a branch house was 
established in Chicago in 1881 and the company 
was incorporated in 1884 under the title of the 
L. B. Darling Fertilizer Co. Mr. Darling was 
elected treasurer, which position he has since 
held. Since the death of his brother, Lucius 
B., he has been the head of the corporation. 
In business affairs he is prominent in nearly all 
the great enterprises that have contributed to 
the wealth of Pawtucket. He is treasurer of 
the Woodlawn Dairy Co. ; is a director of the 
Pacific National bank, and of the Pawtucket 
Institution for Savings; director and member 
of the executive board of the Pawtucket Gas 
Co., and was elected president of the compaiiy 
in January, 1896; director in the American 
Yarn Co. : jiresident of the Darling Co. of 
Chicago ; a director and a member of the 
executive board of the Pawtucket lUectric 
Light Co. ; president of the Metropolitan 
Hotel Supply Co., of New York; and is inter- 
ested in many other prominent business enter- 
prises. He is also a mendier of the Pawtucket 
Business Men's Association. 

Mr. Darling is a Republican. He was 
alderman from the fourth ward in 1888. Nov. 
16, 1 87 I, he was married to Abbie M. Rockwood 
of Bellingham, Mass., by which union there are 
two children : Edna Rockwood, b. Oct. 10, 
1874; Chester Coburn, b. Nov. 13, 1S87. 



ILLUvSTRATlvI) HISTORY OP I'AWTl' C K JCT. 



In the prime of his manhood and in the 
niidsl ot his business successes, with all the sur- 
roundings of a liappy home, he was forced lo 
taste the cup of sorrow. May ii, 18.S8, al hi> 
residence in Pawtucket, his wife died, a few 
days after moving into the magnificent mansion 
he now occupies on Broadway. 

DARLING, Ruel S., the si.xth son of Samuel 
Darling (4th) of Bellingham, Ma.ss., was l)orn 
in Hellingham, May 2, 1830. He came to Paw- 
tucket when about 21 years of age and was a 
resident of the village until about 1865, when 
he removed to Central P\alls, where he resided 
at the time of his death, June 14, 18S3, although 
his business connections contin- 
ued to be chiefly in Pawtucket. 

When a young man he 
learned the boot maker's trade, 
but subsequently became a re- 
tail dealer in meat, which lie 
sold by driving through the 
country in the neighborhood of 
his home. From the time of his 
coming to Pawtucket he was 
jirominently identified with the 
marketing business in which 
he engaged first with his 
brother Edwin, but subsequently 
conducted the business alone 
in the old brick hotel building 
on North Main, then Mill street, 
and finally in the Dexter block 
on Main street, where he 
remained till the time of his death, having some 
years prior taken into partnership his two sons, 
Ruel S., Jr., and Herbert C, under the firm 
name of R. S. Darling & Sons. The business 
was continued by the .sons for some years after 
their father's death, at this last location on 
Main street, and also for a lime at a branch 
market under the Aumann house on Broad 
street; but as the retail business became less 
remunerative and the wholesale business, which 
had been growing for some years, demanded 
more attention, the retail market was finally 
closed in 1892 and the wholesale business trans- 
ferred to New York city, constituting the 
nucleus of the business now incorporated as the 




SAMUEL DARLING, 
CHARGE DrAMONO HILL RESERVOI 



Metro]i()litan Motel Sup])Iy Co. and still con- 
ducted li\ the two sons. 

Though often solicited to accept juildic 
olTice, Mr. Darling uniformly declined till 1SS2, 
when he was chosen town councilman of Lin- 
coln, an office to which he was re-elected 
without o])])osition but two weeks before his 
death. He was a trustee of the Pawtucket 
Institution for Savings and director of the Slater 
National Bank, having held the latter ])osition 
for twenty-three consecutive years. He was 
married twice. His first wife was Alma Iv 
Cook of Bellingham, who died in 1872, leaving 
five children: Ruel S. and Herbert C. of New 
York; Ivllen M., wife of George 
\V. Thurston of Providence ; 
Sarah B., wife of Peter H. 
Fowler of East Orange, N. J. ; 
and A. Louise, wife of William 
L. Quiniby of Boston. His 
second wife, now residing in 
Worcester, Mass., was Mrs. 
p;iiza L. Walker, daughter of 
the late Rev. James O. Barney 
of Seekonk. 

Mr. Darling was a man of 
sterling character. He was 
gifted with first-class business 
ability. In his views he was 
very conservative. Of a kindl>- 
disposition he was always ready 
to succor the needy or unfor- 
tunate. Although not a mem- 
ber of any religious body and professing 
no particular creed he was always willing to 
contribute of his means to any good cause, and 
gave liberally to churches and societies of all 
denominations. He lived respected and died 
regretted by all who knew him. 

DARLING, Samuel, the fifth son of Samuel 
and Margaret (Smith) Darling, was born in 
Bellingham, Mass., March 2, 1825. He attended 
the schools of his nati\-e \-illage during the win- 
ter months and in the summer worked on his 
father's farm, .\lternating thus between the 
farm and the school until his nineteenth \ear, 
he acquiring thereby an education not only in 
books but in the practical affairs of lile. lie 



HIOC, k A I'll I Kir,. 



289 



then went to Medvvay village and established 
a butchering business, which he carried on for 
three j^ears. In 1847 he started the same busi- 
ness at Woonsocket, R. I., where he remained 
until 1854, in which year he went to New York 
atid until 1875 was there engaged in the general 
provision business. He then returned to Belling- 
ham and conducted his father's (arm until 1880, 
when he started out as a traveling salesman and 
followed that occupation for five years. In 1885 
he was appointed superintendent of the Diamond 
Hill Reservoir, which position he still holds. 

In politics Mr. Darling is a Republican, 
but be is not a partisan. All his life he has 
been an attendant of the Uni- 
versalist church. May 26, 
iS46,he was married to Emily, 
daughter of Joseph and Asen- 
ath (Patridge) Adams of Bell- 
ingham, Mass. By this union 
there are three children: Ed- 
mund Adams, b. Jan. 18, 
1849 : Walter luiicrson, b. 
Nov. 23, 1854; Ida I'"liza- 
bfth, b. .Seiit. 26, 1S57. 

DARLING, William W., 
the son of Jefferson B. and 
Johanna (Smith) Darling, 
was born in Bellingham, 
Mass., in 1828. His father who 
was the youngest son and tenth 
child of Samuel Darling (3d), 
was born May 21, 1803, and 
died July 10, 1882; he was a farmer and a dealer 
in cattle and meats. For a number of generations 
the family were prominent in Bellingham, Mass. 
William W. attended school in Bellingham and 
also at the same time helped his father on the 
farm and elsewhere. He remained on the farm 
until he was 21, when he came to Pawtucket in 
1849 and started in the general meat business 
with Lucius B. Darling, continuing the partner- 
ship about five years. They also opened a meat 
store at Mineral Springs and a year later sold 
out to Ruel S. Darling, and then he and I^ucius 
B. Darling founded the trijie and fertilizer 
works, which are still continued to-day. Ik- 
was in the firm about five j'ears and then sold 




out his interest to Lucius B. He then went 
into the wholesale pork packing business on 
Broadway and Central avenue, which he carried 
on for ten years. During this time he prospered 
greatly. For a short time he retired from busi- 
ness. He then started an establishment for the 
curing of hams on a large scale, and also ren- 
dered lard, and sold his product all over the 
eastern states. At the end of two years he 
finally retired from business, and has since 
spent his time looking after his real estate 
interests. He lives a quiet life at his home, 
corner of Broadwa\- and Clay street, and in 
summer occupies the old homestead in Belling- 
ham. In politics he is a Re- 
publican. In 1854 he was 
I married to Mary E. Bassett 
of Central Falls, and they 
have one child, Annie, b. in 
North Providence, now Paw- 
tucket. 

DAVIS, Herbert B., the 
fourth child of Orrin E. and 
Hannah W. (Bailey) Davis, 
was born in Shrewsbury. 
Mass., March 3, 1861. He 
attended the ]niblic schools 
of his native town until he 
attained his sixteenth year, 
and then went to work in a 
wood-turning shop in Wor- 
ester, where he remained 
for three years. He then 
went to Caml)ridge and worked for the Russ 
Moulding Co. until 1883. In October of 
that year he came to Providence and was con- 
nected with Weaxer iS: Co., bankers, until Oct. 
1SS9, when he came to Pawtucket and estab- 
lished a real estate and brokers office at 330 
Main street. Mr. Davis is a Democrat. He 
attends the Congregational church, and is a 
member of the I. O. R. M. 

DAVIS, Charles H., the .second child of 
Josei)h G. and Mary J. (Poole) Davis, was born 
in Pawtu.xet, Jan. 15, 1S71. He received his 
education in the schools of Pawtucket, atid in 
Prof. Cole's luiglish and Classical school. He 
then began the study of denti.stry with George 



290 



II.LlT.STk ATI", n HISTORY OP PAWTUCKKT. 



E. Woodbury at No. 5 North .Main street. Dr. 
Woodbury sold out to Dr. Tillinghast. with 
whom Mr. Da\is remained for fi\e years, at the 
end of which period he went to the Bcstoii 
Collei;e of Dental Surgery, from which he was 
graduated June 20, 1S94, with the degree of 
D. D. S. He was the president of his class and 
received a prize for best workmanship. On 
his return from college he established himself, 
in compan\- with Oeorge C. (lannnon, at 24 
High street, where the firm does first-class 
dentistry. 

DAVIS, John E., the second child of Reuben 
and Elizabeth (Larned) Davis, was horn May 
1, 1836, in Dudley, Worcester county, Mass. 
He attended the Dudley schools .md coniiileted 
his education at Nichols Academy. During the 
intervals in his schooling he assisted his father 
on the farm in summer. After completing his 
course at the academy he taught in the district 
schools until the outbreak of the war of the 
rebellion, when in 1.S62 he enlisted in Company 
V,, I St Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, and 
ser\ed during the entire conflict. He was cap- 
tured by the rebels in front of Petersburg, Va., 
was confined in Libby pri.son, Belle Isle and 
Andersonville, for a period all told of about a 
year, and did not obtain his release until April 
28, 1865, after the ce.ssation of hostilities. On 
his return home he resumed the occupatimi nf 
farming. Until 1870 he continued in this voca- 
tion, with the exception that during 1867 he 
was a mend)er of the Massachusetts state con- 
stabulary. In 1870 he came to Pawtucket and 
obtained a situation as shipping clerk in the 
Conant Thread Mills, now J. & P. Coats, 
(Limited), and in the course of time was pro- 
moted to be the head of the shipping depart- 
ment, which position he still holds. 

Mr. I)a\'is is a Republican, and since his 
young manhood has taken an active part in 
public affairs. He was a member of the Massa- 
chusetts legislature from Dudley in 1866 and 
served in the Pawtucket connnon council five 
years, 1888 to 1890, and in 1892 and 1893. He 
belongs to the society of Ex-llnion Prisoners of 
Massachusetts, joined Tower Post, No. 17, G. A. 
R., in 1 88 1, was elected quartermaster in 1886, 



and still continues in that office. He was married 
to Mary Hancock of Dudley, Mass., in 1867. 

The Davis family, according to tradition, 
originated in Wales. The American branch is 
descended from William Davis, who came to 
Roxbury, Ma.ss., is 1642 : his sun John, b. Oct. 
16, 1643, d. P'eb. 15, i'''''^3, at Roxburs- ; his son 
vSamuel, b. Jinie 23, 16.S1, il. April S, 1760. 
His son P'dward, b. Jan. 2^,. 1714. d. 1S05 
at Roxliur\- ; his son lidward, ]>. ,Sej)t. 5, 
1739, d. Oct. 3, 171/1, had six children, among 
whom was Edward, b. Jan. 5, 17')^, d. Jul\- 1, 
1834, who settled at Dudley, Mass., ami had a 
family of 13 children, one of whom was Reuben 
I)a\is, the father of John li., who was born at 
Dudley, Ma.ss., March 7, 1807, d. Oct. 17, i,s6(), 
and was married .\pril 10, 1S33, to Elizabeth, 
daughter of Morris and PUizabetli Larned. 
Their children are: Maria E., John Iviton, 
William Larned, Ellen Louisa, .Sarah Ursula. 
Franklin, Frances, and Tunma Frances. 

DAVIS, John William, governor of Rhode 
Island in i,SS7-,S and 1890-1, was born in Reho- 
both, Mass., March 7, 182(1. He was the son of 
John and Nancy Davis and was brought up on 
his father's farm in Rehoboth. meanwhile attend- 
ing the public schools of Rehoboth and .Swansea 
as opportunity offered. In 1844 he left the 
homestead which the fainil>' had occniiied for 
several generations, and went to Providence, 
where he apprenticed himself to a ma.son and 
worked at that trade from March to December 
each year for three years, during the winters 
teaching district schools in North Providence, 
R. I., and Seekonk, Mass. While an apprentice 
in Providence he had the u.se of the Mechanics 
Library and in after years was a member of the 
Franklin Lyceum and Providence Athenaeum 
Association. 

Upon comjileting his apprenticeship he 
commenced life as a journeyman, lra\eling 
and working at his trade, and while on this 
industrial itineracx- he became a contractor in 
Charleston and in New Orleans in the winters 
of 1847 and 1S50. He then returned to Prov- 
idence and went into liusiness as a dealer 
in grain and provisions, which he conducted 
successfully until 1890, since when he has been 



Biucui APii I i;s. 



291 



principally engaged in the care of fiduciary 
interests for himself and others. During his 
long and active business life he was often 
engaged in the settlement of estates in probate, 
and also in the courts of insolvency and bank- 
ruptc}', under both vState and United vStates bank- 
rupt laws, in the fulfillment of which duties he 
became known as an active public citizen. He 
retained his residence in Providence until 1877 
when he removed his family to Pawtucket. 

His political af- 
filiations were al- 
w ays with the 
Democratic party. 
He was a member 
of the Democratic 
City Committee of 
Providence from 
1854 to i860, hav- 
ing for colleagues 
the late Abner J. 
Barnaby, W. P). 
Sayles, George \V. 
D a n i e 1 s o n and 
others, and was 
treasurer of the 
State Central Com- 
mittee in 1883-4-5. 
He attended the 
Democratic Na- 
tional Convention 
as an alternate 
delegate at Chicago 
in 1884, and gave 
at his home a pub- 
lic reception to his 
fellow citizens in 
honor of Cleve- 
land's election in 

the fall of that year. Mr. l)a\is was elected 
to his first public office, that of town council- 
man and president of the board in Pawtucket 
in 1882, and again in 1885. He was chosen a 
.state senator in 1885, 1886 and 1893, and appointed 
by President Cleveland appraiser of foreign 
merchandise for the Providence U. S. Customs 
District in 1886. In 1887 and again in 1S90 he 
was cho.sen governor of Rhode Island on the 



JOHN W. DAVIS, 
F RHODE ISLAND, 188 



Democratic ticket. During his administration 
a number of important measures which had his 
countenance and support, were carried through, 
among which were : a reform in the discipline 
of the state pri.son, brought about as the result of 
a public investigation ; an amendment to the state 
con.stitution extending the suffrage to foreign- 
born citizens on the same terms as to native 
citizens ; a ballot reform law on the Australian 
system ; and the establishment of a College of 
Agriculture a n d 
Mechanic Arts, at 
Kingston, the char- 
ter of which was 
granted upon his 
especial recom- 
mendation in 1892. 
Mr. Davis was 
the only Democrat 
elected governor of 
Rhode Island from 
the time of William 
Sprague, who was 
elected on a fusion 
ticket in i860 as a 
Democrat and Con- 
ser\-ative. Gover- 
nor Davis's elec- 
tions represented a 
real growth in dem- 
ocratic sentiment, 
and was a tribute 
to his high char- 
acter as a man and 
to his genuine 
democracy. He 
was the only gover- 
nor of Rhode Is- 
land, with the ex- 
cejitiou of Joseph Jenks, who was a resident of 
Pawtucket. 

Governor Da\is has been three times mar- 
ried : in 1S55 to Miss I.ydia W. Kenyon, who 
died in 1859 ; in 1862 to Miss Emily P. Goff, 
who died in 1.S85; and in 1895 to Miss Marietta 
P. Pearce, with whom and his two daughters, 
Annie K. and Mary li., children of the second 
wife, he now resides, at Riverside, 724 Pleasant 




I l.I.rSTRA'Pl'I) HISTORY O I" I' A WTTC K IC T. 



street, Pawtucket. He is a iiiemlKT of i1k- 
Mathewsoii vStreet M. Iv. Clnircli ol I'mvidc-iice: 
of the Patria Club, Pawtiukvl, \hv SoutlKin 
Rhode Island Press Clul), the- RlIimiii Club d 
New York, the Providence Marine S()ciet> , and 
other like organizations, but has never been a 
member of any of the secret orders so popular 
in this state in these later years. 

On' his father's side Governor I)a\is is a 
descendant in the seventh generation from 
James Davis, who came with his famils- from 
Marlboro, Wiltshire, England, to Massachusetts 
Bay Colony about 1630, was admitted a free 
man at Newbury in 1634, and went as a pioneer 
settler to Haverhill in 1640. Through his 
mother he is a descendant in the fifth genera- 
tion from John Davis, who came from I^ondon, 
England, to Newport, R. I., al)out i6,So. From 
these ancestors and their collateral kindreil 
through intermarriages, his descent 1)\- i-on- 
sanguinity can be traced to some of those who 
came to Pl\'mouth in the Mayflower, and to many 
others of the earlier Puritan, Pilgrim, and Ca\- 
alier colonists of New England, among whom 
may be mentioned, the Eatons, Shaws, Piarnevs, 
DeWitts, Marlins, Masons, Pecks. Mays, Bul- 
locks, Hortons, with others, soniC of whom were 
prominently engaged as soldiers and officers 
in the old colonial and revolutionary wars. 

Governor Davis is at present a member of 
the Rhode Island State House Conuni.ssion. 
It is a somewhat interesting reminiscence in this 
connection that the house of his maternal col- 
onial ancestor, John Davis of Newport, was u.sed 
by the Governor and General Assemblj- of the 
colony as the seat of their sessions, and made 
practically the Province House from 1682 to 
1691, when the first public Colony House was 
built in that town. 

One feature of Governor Davis's long, active 
business life in which he takes especial satis- 
faction, is in tlic number of successful young 
business men who have gone out from under his 
training. At present he is manager and treas- 
urer of the Riverside Burial Societx- of Paw- 
tucket, a director and president of the Rhode 
Island Department of the Co-operative Savings 
Society of Connecticut, a tlirector of the Central 



Real ICslale Compan\- of Proxidence, llie Inter- 
state Petroleum Co.. the Samana Bay I'mit Co.. 
and other enterprises which keep his mind and 
time occupied with current Inisiness affairs. 

DAWSON, William Henry, the first child 
of Sannul I), and .\nna (Brown) Dawson was 
born in W'alsden, Lanca.shire, Plngland, March 
1, iS6,S. He came to the United States when 
m \ears of age and was educated in the public 
and night schools of Pawtucket. His first 
employment was at cotton spinning with the 
E. Jenckes Manufacturing Co. in 1.S7.S, and he 
next went to work for Atwood, Crawford >.S: Co., 
and then with George H. Fuller & .Son, jew- 
elers, Avhere his intelligence and close ajiplica- 
tion to business attracted the notice of his 
employers and he was promoted to the position 
of foreman. In 1890, in partnership with James 
K. Dawson, he opened a bicycle store at 122 
Broad street, Pawtucket, but the business 
increa.sed so rapidly that they were compelled 
to secure larger premises, and moved to their 
present location at 158 Broad street. They also 
established one of the largest sporting goods 
establishment in New ICngland, at 22 North 
Main street, Pro\-idence. Mr. Dawson's success 
is no doubt due to his enthusiastic admiration 
of all athletic sports, but especiallx' bicxcling. 
He is a member of all and has taken an active 
jiart in the formation of man\' of the bicycle 
clubs in Providence and Pawtucket. In frater- 
nal affairs j\Ir. Dawson is a.ssociated with the 
Masons and Odd Fellows, and is an attendant 
of St. Paul's Episcopal church. .Sept. 29, 1891, 
he was married to Ellen I. Ingham of Accring- 
ton, England, by which union there are two 
children. 

DEAHY, Michael F., son of Mathew and 
Catherine (Buckley) Deahw was born in 
Cashel, Ireland, Noveml)er, 1854, antl came to 
America with his parents when a young child. 
He attended the Providence public schools until 
he was fifteen years old when he became a clerk 
in a dry goods store and followctl that occnjia- 
tion until 1.S82, when in comiiany with his 
l)rolliers Thomas 11. and David P., he .started a 
dry goods store in the Benedict House block. 
Main street, Pawtucket. The Imsiness pros- 




MICHAEL F. DEAHY, 

DRY GOODS DEALER. 




JOHN E. DAVIS, 
NAGER SHIPPING DEPARTMENT J. i P. COATS 




f*-""^ 
P^* 




THOMAS H. DEAHY, 
DRY GOODS DEALER. 




DANIEL D. DWYER, 

ESALE PRODUCE COMMISSION MERCHANT. 




JOHN DEVLIN, 

RETIRED GROCER AND CONTRACTOR, 



OTIS E. DROWN, 

. ENGINEER, WITH W. F. A F. C. SAYLES 



?94 



I LI, r ST RATI'; 1) II IS TORY () I' I'AW T I' C K !•; T. 



peretl steadilw 'riunnas died in 1S92, and 
Michael passed a\va\ Aui;. 20, iSg^^, leavini; 
David entircl\- alone in the Inisiness, at 273 and 
277 Main street. Michael was unmarried. 

DEAHY, Thomas M., a .son of Malhew and 
Catlierine (Buckley) Deah\-, was horn in Provi- 
dence, R. I., Sept., 1857, and he and his older 
brothers and sisters received their education in 
the Providence public schools. He left scliool 
about the age of fifteen and went to work in the 
dry goods house of Thomas Cosgrove &: Co., in 
whose employ he remained till that firm retired 
from business, when he as.sociated himself with 
the II. \V. Ladd Co., Providence, and graduall>- 
worked his way up to a responsible position with 
that house. In 18.S2, in company with his okkr 
brothers, I)a\id P. and Michael F., he opened a 
dry goods store in the lienedict House block. 
Main .street, Pawtucket. From the start the 
undertaking was a success, ninch of which was 
due to the enterprise and experience of Thomas. 
He died unmarried in 1892, in his 34th j-ear, 
greatly lamented by his friends and relatives. 

David P. Deahy, the present head of the 
business, was born in Cashel, Ireland, March 
17. 1853, went to school until he was seventeen, 
and worked as a cooper for twelve years. He is 
a member of the Knights of Columbus and of the 
Young Men's Catholic Association, and like his 
two deceased brothers is an independent in politics 
and a Catholic in religion. 

The father of the Deahy brothers was liorn 
in Ireland and like man\- of his countrymen 
found the pursuit of agriculture under the con- 
dition existing in that land unprofitable and 
di.scouraging. Under the.se circum.stances his 
attention was turned towards the United States, 
and he removed with his family to this country 
six years before the war of the rebellion. 

DELANY, Lyons, was born in Moystown, 
Kings county, Ireland, Dec. 3, 1850, and 
attended a private school in Tessauran until he 
attained his sixteenth year. He early developed 
commercial tastes and in his boyhood days his 
chief amusement was the mimic store where he 
disposed of large cargoes of imaginary stock to 
his juvenile playmates. His father recognizing 
the tastes of the boy, placed him with a reliable 



house in the town of Cavan, where he learned 
the lea and general grocery trade, and remained 
there four year. He emigrated to America in 
1870, came to Providence, and obtained a situa- 
tion as manager of the Yokolioma Tea Company, 
which he held for seven years. He came to 
Pawtucket in 1877, and establi.shed himself in a 
small store in the Spencer building, corner of 
Main and North Main streets. His stock, was 
\alued at S'loo, and from the first he met with 
success. In July, 1894, he took into partnership 
fi\e of his oldest employees and formed the 
Lyons Delany Co., with an authorized capital 
of Sioo,ooo, for carrying on a general tea, coffee 
and spice business at 7 and 9 North Main street. 
Mr. Delanj- is president of the company. The 
present store is one of the largest, best .stocked 
and best equipped in New England. The 
company also operates coffee and spice mills 
and has a large and constantly growing trade. 

Mr. Delany is a Republican, and has 
served his fellow citizens as councilman from 
the fourth ward in 1,^92-3-4, and as alderman in 
1896. He is a member of Barney Merry Lodge, 
A. F. and A. M., is an attendant of the Pawtucket 
Congregational church, and a member of the 
Business Men's Association. He was married 
to Clara, daughter of John D. Fraser of New 
Glasgow, Nova Scotia, May 27, 1875, and by 
this union there are two children : Lyons Fraser 
Hill, b. Feb. 2, iSSo; and Charlotte Christabel, 
b. July 18, 1886. 

DEMPSEY, James, was one of the best 
known and most capable dyers and bleachers in 
the United States. He was born in the county 
of Wicklow, Ireland, July 30, 1819, and came 
to this country when 22 years old. He first 
went to work in a prinlwork in h'all Ri\er, 
where he remained three years. From there he 
moved to Providence, but only stayed a .short 
time, when he went to Lonsdale as over.seer of 
the dyehouse and gas works of the Lonsdale 
Company, which positions he held for about 22 
years. He also spent some time at Millxille. 
N. J., where he was agent for tlie then R, I). 
Wood i\: Co.'s dyehouses and mills. He then 
went to Peabodw Mass., where he was agent 
for the Danvers Bleacher}- for three years. He 



inoC, KAI'II I ICS. 



295 



then removed to Lewiston, Me., ami was agent 
and treasurer for the Lewiston Dye Works until 
1892, a period of about 21 years. 

In iSSo he purchased proper! \- in Xorlh 
Providence and established a bleachery and 
dye work, in which he installed his sons as man- 
agers. These works were burned in 1S82 ; but 
heat once ])rojected, with tlie assistance of his 
sons, an extensi\x* 
plant inPawtucket. 
The works were 
constructed on his 
plans, and were 
designed f r 
bleaching, d>eing 
and finishing all 
kinds of cotton 
piece goods. The 
construction of the 
buildings was be- 
gun in 18S2, and 
the plant was stall- 
ed March, 1S84. 
The establishment 
is on the west bank 
of the Blackstone 
river, fronting on 
North Main street, 
and is b e t w e e n 
vSmith and Jackson 
streets. ICxcellent 
water, of which 
great quantities are 
used, is obtained 
from both artesian 
and open resen-oir 
wells, and being 
clear and soil is james 

well adapted to the founder of the pevpsi 

bleaching Imsine.ss. 

The Iniildings are of l)rick, substantially built 
and equipped with the best and most impro\eil 
machiner\-, and all dejiartnients arc ])rotected b\- 
automatic sprinklers. The capacity ol the works 
is now fifteen tons per day. 

After the establishment of these works, Mr. 
Dcnipsev still continued in his position as agent 
and treasurer of the Lewiston Dye Works and 




left the active management of the Pawtucket 
plant to his two .sons, John J. and William P. 
In 1883 the concern was incorporated as the 
Dempsey Bleachery and Dye Works, and the offi- 
cers were : James Dempsey, president; John J. 
Dempsey, treasurer ; and William P. Dempsey, 
agent. 

In 1892 Mr. Dempsey retired from business, 
came to Pawtucket, 
and with his two 
sons, John J. and 
William P., erected 
the mansion house 
on Park place, 
which was his home 
until hisdeath, and 
is still the family 
residence. Al- 
though, when he 
came to Pawtucket, 
Mr. Demp.sey was 
advanced in years 
and had an ample 
fortune acquired by 
means of the many 
responsible posi- 
tions he had held, 
yet he was not con- 
tent to remain idle. 
He was a director 
of the Pacific Na- 
tional Bank, a 
member of the Paw- 
tucket Business 
Men's Association, 
antl vice-president 
of the Lewiston 
Machine Co. and 
of the Hills Mills 
of Lewiston, Me. 
While (HI his wa\' home from the White 
Mountains, where with his daughter Mary he 
had been in attendance at a meeting of the New 
Lngland Manufacturers' Association, of which 
he was a mendier, Mr. Dempsey was taken sick 
on the train. Thinking that he would be better 
cared for in some house, he with his daughter 
left the train at Soniersworlh, N. II.. where he 



DEMPSEY, 

Y BLEACHERY 



296 



ILLUSTR ATlvI) HISTORY () l* !'.\\\ T r C K ]vT. 



died ill a few hours, Oct. i, 1S94, of hoarl dis- 
ease. He left three children : two sons and a 
daiis;hter, his wife havini;- died in 1S77. After 
the death of Mr. Dcnipsex', his son John J. was 
elected jtrcsick-nl and treasurerof the corporation. 
DENNIS, John Robertson, son of Isaac and 
Jane (Fair) Demiis, was born in Portsmouth, 
R. I., Oct. !,■;, i><,i6. He received his education 
in thf ])id)lic schools of Central I'alls and in 
1.S5J went to work in the spool factor\- ol Rol)crt 
Cushinan, which has developed through numer- 
ous changes in partners and organization into 
The Atwood-Crawford Co. Mr. Dennis has 
remained with the cnterijrise through all these 
vicissitudes. For nian\' \ears 
he has taken an active ])art in 
local politics, and is now the 
recognized leader of the Re 
})ul)Iican party in Central 
I"alls. As an astute political 
manager with the abilit)' to 
marshal his forces success- 
fullv. he has few ecpials in 
Rhode Island. At the same 
time he accomplishes these 
results in an unostentatious 
manner. His exertions as a 
political manager are mainly 
due to the fact that he is an 
enthusiastic Republican, and 
believes thoroughly in his 
party. He has never been 
personally benefited by his of ci 

political labors but is said 
to be poorer to-day than when he began 
his political career. He has never held any 
public office, although he has been the means 
of enabling many other men to do so. Within 
the past few years he has been frequently 
assailed and maligned, has been accused of 
running the whole conmuinity and controlling 
the patronage of the new city of Central I'-alls : 
but he has gone on undismayed, managing 
effectually the campaigns, and usually winning 
the ])olitical battles. He is a member of the 
Lincoln Republican As.sociation. He was 
married in 1H56 to Ivli/.abeth I'aine of Central 
Falls. 




D[£Vl,IN, John, was born in county Tyrone, 
Ireland, September 1807, and was tlie third 
child of I'atrick and Rose .\nna (H'Xeil) 
I)e\-lin. His father was a farmer and linen 
wea\-er, and belonged to a noted Irish familv. 
His mother is a descendant nl Lurd O'Xeil, l>nt 
the male line of the chief branch of that family 
is now extini't, and the jiresenl rejiresentative is 
Lord O'Xeil-Chichesler. Jolm received his 
eihicaliiin in the parish school until he was 
i') \ ears old, when he went to work assisting 
his father on the farm and in herding the cattle, 
and tlien learned to be a carpenter at which he 
workeil lor some years. He left his father's 
house in Tyrone, April 15, 
I S3 1 , and sailed from Belfast 
three days later in the .ship 
Belafor, which arrived June 
5, 1.S31, at Quebec, Canada. 
Here he remained for fi\-e 
weeks, when he went to Mon- 
treal, and later to North 
Ri\er, where he worked on 
the Ciraiiville canal, h'or a 
short time he was in Cham- 
berlee, Canada, and in No\-- 
ember, 1.S31, went to Burling- 
ton, \'t. From there he went 
to Lowell, Mass., but in Jan- 
ary, 1832, came to Providence. 
There he worked as a car- 
fji^is penter for some months, and 

ALLS. at the end of that time went 

to Fall River. 
In 1834 he came to Pawtucket. For several 
j-ears he v\'as employed as a contractor, and 
built beetling machines both for Uunnell's print- 
works and for Philip Allen's printworks, Pro\i 
dence. He then conducted a grocerj- store for 
fourteen years. His wife's health then broke 
down, and, as the doctor recommended a resi- 
dence further inland, he bought a farm at 
Woonsocket, where they lived for eight \ears. 
Returning to Pawtucket he started a meat mar- 
ket, and develo])ed a successful business which 
he conducted for many years, finally turning it 
over to his son John H., who still runs it at 7S 
River street. During the greater part of his 



lilOORA I'll IKS. 



297 



life and while conducting his grocery business 
Mr. Devlin still continued to carry on operations 
as a contractor. lie built the wharf of the 
Pawtucket Coal Co., now dccupied b\' the Cit\' 
Coal Co., constructed the first bathing house 
ever built in Pawtucket and was one of the 
contractors for the railroad at Ironstone, Mass., 
now a part of the New England railroad. 

Mr. Dexlin has been longer in Pawtucket 
than any other resident of his natioualit\-, and 
he is besides the oldest native of Ireland in the 
connnunity, being in his 90th year and is active 
and in good health. He is interested in natural 
history and in local history, and in following 
out these bents has made an excellent collection 
of rocks and minerals, and is possessed of a 
fund of local information which makes his 
reminiscences valuable and entertaining. He 
was one of the committee to build the first 
Catholic church erected in Providence. This 
was the old Cathedral and occupied the site 
now covered b}- the SS. Peter and Paul's Cathe- 
dral, Providence. Eleven times he has crossed 
the Atlantic, and has many relics of Irish 
antiquities and curiosities as mementos of 
these journeys. He belongs to the Franklin 
Society and the Veteran Citizens Historical 
Society of Providence. He presided over the 
first temperance society of Rhode Island. Mr. 
Devlin is a Democrat, and in religion a Roman 
Catholic. 

Jan. 5, 1835, he was married to Mary Sarah 
Sha)- of Boston, who was born in Salem, and 
came of old Presbyterian stock, her ancestor 
having came over in the Mayflower. She was 
a relative of Gen. Shay. There were seven 
children born to them, of whom four are now 
living, Mary Elizabeth, John H., Luc>- .\inie, 
and Charlotte Baronica. 

DEXTER, Henry B., at the present time 
one of the largest tax payers in Pawtucket, when 
he fir.st started in busine.ss and went to the bank 
to negotiate a loan, was not oidy asked by the 
president for securit>-, but was given the gratui- 
tous information that not one man in a thousand 
who engaged in business made a success. This 
remark made a great impression u])cin Mr. 
Dexter, and throutjh .-dl his wide and varied 



business experience his success has been such 
as to place him easily within the exception 
noted by the bank president. 

He was born in Pawtucket in 1S27, the son 
of Captain Waterman T. and Fainiy (Orne) 
Dexter, and is descended in the seventh genera- 
tion from the Rev. Gregory Dexter, who came 
with Roger Williams from England when the 
latter returned in 1644 with the first charter of 
Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, and 
who was one of the first practical printers in the 
New World, became town clerk, and was the 
fourth jiastor of the First Baptist church of 
Providence. The genealogical line to Henrj- 
B. is as follows: Rev. Gregory Dexter, b. 1610; 
John, b. 1652; James, b. 1691 : John, b. 1718; 
Nathaniel B., b. 1758; Waterman T.. the father 
of Henry B., b. 1790. 

Henry B. obtained his education in the 
public schools and at the private schools then 
conducted in Pawtucket by Joseph Watts and 
John Willard. As his parents were poor he began 
to work very early in life. Before his school 
da\s were ended he saved money obtained by 
doing errands and small jobs of work. He was 
apprenticed to Brown & Clark to learn the 
trade of a machinist, and after sen'ing his time, 
he took entire charge of the .shop of John H. 
Potter for several years. He then engaged in 
business for himself as a member of the firm of 
Pindjley, Dexter & Co., and later as Dexter & 
Cole, employing at times twentj--five men, which 
in those days was considered a large number. 
On retiring from the machini.st business, he pur- 
chased the cardboard and glazed paper indus- 
try of Ray Potter, his brother-in-law, who.se 
liabilities, anumnling to $22,000, he assumed, 
while he ouIn had a capital of $1,000; but by 
renewals and extensions of notes, he was enabled 
by good management to pay all the indebted- 
ness. He carried on the industry under the 
name of Thomas iS: Co., in a building in the 
rear (if the present postoffice for fifteen yeai"s, 
at which time in connection with George H. 
Clark he erected a new brick building, 50 by 100 
feet, four stories high, on Exchange street, and 
the manufacture of the same line of goods was 
carried on there under the name of the Rhode 



298 



ILLUSTRATICD HISTORY OF PAW T U C K I'.T. 



Island Card Board Company. Dnrinj;^ Mr. 
Dexter'.s connection with it this concern origin- 
ated the famous pajicr colhir industry ; and tlie 
hair-lined cardboard, whicli had a large sale, 
was the invention of Mr. Dexter. The com- 
pany placed its products in all parts of the United 
States and in Europe. In April, 18S9, Mr. 
Dexter sold out his interest in the Rhode Island 
Card Board Company, and saik-d (or Ivurope, 
June 20, 1890, remaining se\en nKinlhs and 
visiting seven different kingdoms. Tlie follow- 
ing year he again visited Paris. 

When Mr. Dexter was nineteen >ears of 
age he made his first venture in real estate. 
He jnircliased a house lot, induced his nncle 
Nathaniel G. H. Dexter to endorse his note, 
with which he ol)tained money to build a dwell- 
ing, which he mortgaged to the savings bank, 
obtaining sufficient rental to pay the interest, 
and thus finalh' became the owner of his first 
house. At the present time Mr. Dexter owns 
twent\-three houses — all of the best character. 
He con.siders his success largely due to three 
thing.s — religious instruction, temperance and 
self reliance. He has attended religious wor- 
ship all his life, is one of the oldest members of 
the High Street Universalist church, and was 
one of its building committee. Since he was 
of age he has contributed an average f)f $190 
per 3'ear for the support of religious wor- 
ship. He is a total abstainer, having never 
lasted a glass of liquor, not even in his European 
experience, although there nearly e\er>' one 
drinks wine. He is a strong believer in iihrenol- 
ogy. In his early years he consulted Prof. O. S. 
Fowler, whose charts had an almost world-wide 
reputation, and was told that in the midst of the 
greatest difficulties and obstacles he himself 
would always be his best counsellor. This gave 
him great reliance, and the idea of failure in 
any undertaking was entirely foreign to his 
nature. Perseverance and hard work have 
characterized him through life. 

Mr. Dexter was chosen in 1.S85 (rum Paw- 
tucket a member of the General Assembly. In 
the order of Free and Accepted Masons, he is a 
member of Union Lodge. Royal Arch Chapter, 
and Holy Sepidchre Commandery of Pawtucket, 



and of tile vScottisli Rite and Consistory of Prov- 
idence. He joined Good Samaritan Lodge, 
Independent Order of Odd p-ellows, at the age 
of nineteen years, and is a member also of Man- 
chester F^ncampment. He was married to F'niily, 
daughter of John Campbell of Pawtucket, May 
20, 1857. She died .\])ril 19, 18S;,, He has 
ne\-er remarried. Of this union one child was 
born : Katie Bowers Dexter. She was married 
to Albert H. Stearns, Boston, Mass., and they 
have four children : .Albert Mavnard, b. Aug. 
20 1886; Henry Dcxler, b. March 7, 1888; 
.\lbert Thomas, b. April 22, 1890; Catherine, 
b. July lO, i.Syj. 

DEXTER, James Cook, was born in Cum- 
berland, R. I., in i8;57, and is a descendant in 
the seventh generation from the Rev. Gregory 
Dexter, who was one of the early settlers of the 
town of Providence and the fourth ])astor of the 
F'irst Baptist church there. The line of descent 
is Gregory, John, James, James, Timothy W., 
and James M., the father of James C. James 
M. carried on a farm in Cumberland, near the 
coal mine until 183S, when he emigrated with 
the conipan\- that was made up in Providence 
and Pawtucket and which established a coloiiv in 




JAMES COOK DEXTER 

FARMER, LONSDALE. 



HIOGRAl'HIl':S. 



299 



Illinois, and he was the founder of Providence, 
Illinois. James C. attended the public schools 
in Illinois and completed his education at 
Jubilee College. In 1862 he returned to Cum- 
l)erlan(l and took charge of the farm of his 
uncle, E.seck Dexter, who died in 1868. James 
C. inherited his uncle's property and has ever 
since carried on the farm, which is located at 
the corner of Dexter and High streets, Lonsdale. 

Mr. Dexter is a Republican. He was elected 
by that party a representative from the town to 
the General Assembly in 1874-5-6, and was a 
member of the town council in 1893-5. He 
belongs to the Pawtucket Business Men's Asso- 
ciation. He is a member of Christ's church, 
Lonsdale, and belongs to Unit\' Lodge, No. 34, 
Lonsdale, A. F. & A. M. He was married to 
Frances Sara Barrows, and they have three 
daughters: Fannie O.. Minerva W'., and 
Hattie B. 

DILLON, John, the .second .son of Patrick 
and Mar\- (Owens) Dillon, was born in Ireland, 
Xov. 4, 1859. His father came to America in 
1845, returned to Ireland in 1852, and again 
came to America in 1S68 with his wife and a fam- 
il\- of fi\-e children. In Ireland, John went to 
school several years, and after coming to America 
attended the public schools of Providence for 
some time. In 1S92 he bought out the business 
of Michael Owens, on Titus street. Valley Falls, 
and has since conducted it successfully on his 
own account. In politics Mr. Dillon is a Demo- 
crat. He was president of the \'alley Falls 
board of firewards in 1894-5, was a member of 
the town council during the same period, and 
represented the town of Cumberland in the 
Rhode Island House of Representatives in 1895- 
(1. He is a member of St. Patrick's church, 
Valle\- Falls. In fraternal societies he has 
always taken an active interest, and belongs to 
Court Lily, Foresters of America, Valley Falls; 
Delany Council, No. 57, Knights of Columbus, 
Pawtucket; Pocas.set Tribe, No. 13, Red Men, 
Central Falls; and is president of the Hibernian 
societies of Providence county. In November, 
1884, he was married to Mar\- A. Dowling at \'al- 
ley I'alls, and lhe\- ha\-e two children : Patrick, 
1). Dec. 24, 1S87, and Mar\-, b. Dec. i, 18^4. 



DOUGLASS, George Cowing, was born in 
Plainfield, Conn., Jan. 15, 1823, and was the first 
child of Nichols and Elizabeth (Cowing) Doug- 
lass. He received his education in the public 
schools of Leloanon, Conn., and North Provi- 
dence, R. I. At the age of 14 he entered the 
employ of Heaton & Cowing, where he remained 
until 1842, but desiring to learn a trade was 
sent to the firm's factory at Geneva, where he 
remained for 22 years. In 1864 Mr. Heaton 
died and Mr. Douglass continued the business 
in ])artnership with George M. Daniels, who 
retired in 1S70. In 1876 he removed to Provi- 
dence, from whence he came to Pawtucket in 
1882 and established himself at 51 North Main 
street, where he has continued in the business as 
a manufacturer of shoe and corset laces. He is 
a Republican iu politics and has strong views 
on financial legislation. He attended the Bap- 
tist church when young, but is interested in 
Theosophy at present. Mr. Douglass is descended 
from a family remarkable for longevity. His 
father was 89 and his grandfather no when 
they passed away. 

DRAPER, Frank Ormond, superintendent 
of schools. Central P'alls, the only child of 
Jo.seph Ormond and Ellen A. ( Bartlett) 
Draper, was born in Pawtucket, Sept. 5, 1862. 
He is descended in the seventh generation from 
James Draper, who was born about 1618 in 
Hepstonstall in the West Riding, Vorkshire, 
England, came to America about 1650, and 
died in Roxbury, Mass,, in 1(194. He also 
traces his descent to John Alden and to Gov- 
ernor William Bradford, of the Plymouth colony. 
Two of his ancestors, Stephen Draper, of South 
Attleboro, Mass., and Joel Bradford, of Attle- 
boro, sensed in the war of the revolution. 
His grandfather, Joseph Draper, was born in 
South Attleboro, Mass., Oct. 25, 1808, married 
Lucilda Makei)eace, also of South Attleboro, and 
died in Xorton, Mass., Sept. 30, 1894. Their 
son, Joseph O. Draper, the father of Frank O., 
was born in .South Attleboro, July 17, 1S34, and 
was married May 19, 1S61, to Ellen A. Bartlett, 
who was born Feb. 14, 1833, in Lincoln. R. I. 
He died in Pawtucket, July 4, 18&4. 

Frank O. was educated in the High street 





JOSEPH ANOERTON, 
FOREMArj OF CONSTRUCTION, LORRAINE MILLS. 



HENRY BARKER, 

VERSEER WEAVING DEPARTMENT, LORRAINE f 





HENRY J. CHALK, 



HENRY S. COLE, 

OF COLE BROS., ENGINE BUILl 





JOHN DILLON, 

REPRESENTATIVE FROM CUMBERLAND TO GENeRAL ASSEMBLY 1898-6. 



JOSEPH E. FALES, 

OF FALES BROS., GROCERS, C. f. 



BIOC, R APHIKS. 



301 



grammar schoul and the high school of Paw- 
tucket, ami at llrowii Univ-ersity, class of 1886. 
He received the degree of A. M. in i88g. In 
September, 1886, he was appointed principal of 
the new Garden street grammar school, Paw- 
tucket, and remained in that position until 1892, 
wlicn he was appointed superintendent of schools 
in the town of Lincoln upon the adoption of 
the town system of .school government. At the 
division of the town and the incorporation of 
the city of Central Falls, April, 1895, he was 
appointed superintendent of schools in both the 
town of IJncoln and the city of Central Falls, 
and siill lii)l(ls tho.se positions. June 28, 1889, 
he was married to Ida A. Tiffany, in Central 
Falls, R. I. Mr. Draper is a member of Union 
Lodge, A. F. & A. M., Pawtucket Royal Arch 
Chapter, and Holy Sepulchre Commandery, K. 
T., and is also a member of Kureka Lodge, 
Knights of Pythias, and of the Grand Lodge, 
K. P., of Rhode Island. 

DROWN, Otis E., the third child of Royal 
and Bets}- (Medbury) Drown, was born in 
Rehoboth, Mass., Oct. 23, 1S22. His parents 
moved to Pawtucket in 1830, and lived until 
1883 in a cottage house which stood on the 
site now occupied by the police station on 
North Main street, when they returned to Reho- 
both. Otis attended school in Rehoboth and 
Pawtucket, until he was sixteen years old, and 
then worked on a farm until he was nineteen. 
He then started to learn the carpenter and 
wheelwright trade with his father, but com- 
pleted his apprenticeship with the well-known 
builders, Lewin & Fisk. He continued to 
work for this firm after he became a journey- 
man, but was soon promoted to be foreman and 
master mechanic, and while acting in this 
capacity he did much of the construction and 
repairs at Dunnell's printworks for a period of 
about ten years. 

He then opened a shoj) for himself and 
executed various mechanical work for numerous 
mills. In 1854 the Sayles bleachery was burned, 
but was at once rebuilt, and Mr. Drown planned 
all the machinery and super\-ised the placing of 
the larger part of it. He worked for W. V. 
Sayles as ma.ster mechanic, engineer anil 



draughtsman, from 1856 to 1863, when he 
engaged with William Jeffers, the builder of 
fire engines. Shortly after he became a 
mechanic for Darius Goff, for whom he worked 
three \ears. He then became a partner in the 
firm of Lewin, Kenyon & Co., contractors and 
builders, and during this period superintended 
the erection of many structures. In 1S77 he 
dissolved his connection with that firm and 
reengaged with W. h". (.S: V. C. Sayles as 
mechanical and civil engineer, and superin- 
tendent of buildings, and still continues to hold 
that position. He is a skilled draughtsman and 
has a thorough knowledge of construction. 
Mr. Drown was married Nov. 16, 1847, to Anna 
Maria, sister of Captain William Jeffers. They 
had eight children. 

The name Drown is said to iiavc originated 
in Wales. The founder of the American branch 
of the family was Joshua Drown who came to 
New England about 1670. He was married to 
Mary Toogood, and their son Capt. Drown 
lived in Bristol, R. I. He was a sea captain 
and was lost at .sea in 1748. His son Nathaniel 
Drown was a soldier in the revolution, and was 
the father of Royal Payne Drown, who was 
born in Rehoboth in 1774, was a soldier in the 
war of 1812, and died in 1825. lie married 
Lucy Bliss, and his .son Royal Drown, born in 
1896, was the father of Otis li. 

Ebenezer Medway, the father of Mr. 
Drown's mother, was a sailor on a i)ri\ateer in 
the war of the revolution, was captured and 
carried into Halifax, but escaped during a 
storm, and afterwards sensed in the Continental 
army. He died young, but his wife received a 
jiension during her life. 

DWYER, Daniel DeWitt. one of Paw- 
tucket's successful business men, was born in 
Web.ster, Mass., Nov. 28, 1855, and is the 
first child of John O. and Sarah A. (Ryan) 
Dwyer. He attended the public .schools of his 
native town and then spent two years in the 
Dudley Academx , Dudley, Ma.ss. His first 
employment was on his father's farm, but as he 
had no taste for agricultural pursuits, he soon 
abandoned this occupation and then engaged in 
the li\erv business in Webster. This did not 



302 



ILLUvSTRATIvD HISTORY O I- PAWTUC K IvT. 



prove successful, and in 1878 he established at 
Springfield, Mass., a commission house for the 
sale of hay, grain, fruit and general produce, 
which was successful from the start. He dis- 
po.sed of this business in 1S81 for a considerable 
sum and then started the wholesale meat busi- 
ness at Danbury, Conn. He then came to Paw- 
tucket in 1885 anil establi.shed the wholesale 
conuni.ssion business, since successfully con- 
ducted by him, corner of Bayley and Connnerce 
streets. Mr. Dwyer stands in the front rank in 
his line and has met with success from the .start. 
In political matters he is an independent. May 
20, 1888, he was married to Margaret W. Smith 
of Springfield, Mass., by which union there are 
two children : Annie Elizabeth, b. April 20, 
1890, and Raymond D., b. Dec. 18, 1894. 

Mr. Dwyer's father, like so many of his 
countrymen, desiring to advance in the world, 
saw no ojjportunity for doing so in his native 
land, Ireland, so he turned his steps towards 
the United States, attracted by the broad field 
offered here for men of promi.se and energy. 
After a few years of industry and frugality he 
was enabled to purcha.se a farm in Webster, 
Mass., where he brought up a large family in 
comfort and resjiectability. 

EASTON, Frederick VVillard, was born in 
Providence, R. I., Oct. 17, 1852, and is the 
sixth child of Nicholas Redwood and Mary 
(Eddy) Easton. He attended the public schools 
of Central Falls until he attained his fourteenth 
year, and completed his education in Mo wry & 
Goff's Engli.sh and Classical School in Provi- 
dence, graduating in 1870. His finst occupation 
was as clerk for Snow & Lewis of Providence for 
one year, after which he worked for William H. 
Fenner for two years. In 1873 he entered the 
machine sho]) of Easton & Burnham, of which 
firm his father was senior member, and learned 
the business thoroughl}-. After spending seven 
j-ears in the shop he was employed in the office 
and by degrees took charge of matters until 
1879, when he was admitted to the firm. ITpon 
the incorporation of the company in 1891, he 
was elected treasurer, which position he now 
holds. Mr. Easton is a Republican and has taken 
a prominent part in both state and city affairs. 



lie was a member of the town council in 1883, 
a member of the .sewer connnission from 1885 
to 1894, and is no\s' a member of the board of 
control of the State Home and School. In 1891 
he was elected to the Rhode I.sland House of 
Representatives, and was cho.sen senator from 
Pawtucket in 1892, 1894 and 1895. He is a 
member of the Pawtucket Business Men's Asso- 
ciation and was first lieutenant of Tower Light 
Infantry for the first three j-ears. He attends 
the First Congregational church. Oct. 4, 1876, 
he was married to Agnes F. Barker, by which 
union there are three children: Robert B., b. 
March 5, 1S80; Nicholas R., b. Aug 21, iSSi ; 
Frederick W., Jr., b. A])ril 2, iSgo. 

EVANS, John, was born June 16, 1820, at 
\'allowshill, in the parish of St. Twinals in the 
county of Pembroke, South Wales, Great Britain. 
From the age of six until he was twelve he 
attended the common schools of his native dis- 
trict, was then apprenticed to a tailor and, fol- 
lowing the customs of the time and country, 
served seven years to learn the trade. P'or three 
3'ears he worked as a journeyman. In 1842 he 
was married, and .started in business on his own 
account in the parish of St. Michaels, Pembroke. 
He continued in this business and place until 
1870 when with his wife and family he came to 
Pawtucket, and worked four j-ears for Wilson 
& Carpenter. In 1874 he started in Pawtucket 
as a merchant tailor, and stills carries on the 
business in company with his son John M., 
under the firm name of John Evans & Son, at 
406 Main street, in the Evans & Deacon build- 
ing. For more than fift}- years he and his wife 
lived happily together, and she died in 1893. 
Mr. Evans's ancestors were sturdy yeoman. His 
grandfather, George Evans, was a fisherman in 
Angle ; his mother's father, George Williams, 
was a butcher ; and his father, Abram Evans, was 
a farmer. For fifty years Mr. Ev'ans has been 
a member of the Methodi.st church, and now 
belongs to the Embury M. E. church. Central 
Falls. He is a member of Temple of Honor, 
No. 4, Pawtucket. Despite his 76 years Mr 
Evans is still hale and hearty, and attends to 
business dailv. 



BIOGRAPHIEvS. 



303 



EVERETT, Qeorge Francis, the first child 
of George \V. and Prances (Austin) Ivverett, 
was born in Wrenthani, Mass., Maj- 3, i<S45. 
He attended the public schools of Pawtucket, 
whither his family had removed, until his eigh- 
teenth year, when he began to learn the black- 
smith trade in his father's carriage and blacksmith 
shoj). There he continued until 1879, when he 
succeeded his father in the same business at 5 
Church street, which he has since conducted 
successfully. Mr. Everett, was active for many 
years in the old volunteer fire department and 
is now a member of the Pawtucket Veteran 
Firemen's Association. He also belongs to the 
Odd Fellows. June 10, 1868, he was married to 
Frances A. Northrup of Pawtucket, by which 
union there are two children, George O., b. 
Nov. 23, 1871 ; and Charles H., b. Dec. 21, 1882. 

Mr. Everett's father had a blacksmith shop 
in connection with his farm in Wrentham, Mass., 
before he moved to Pawtucket; he was b. Oct. 
30, 1813, and d. in Pawtucket, Sept. 2, 1889. 
Mr. Everett's mother was b. Aug. 26, 1815, 
and d. Oct. 25, 1877. 

FAIRWEATHER, James Robertson, was 
born in Worcester, Mass., June 4, 1862, and is 
the fourth child of Thomas S. and Eillian 
(Wright) Fairweather. The family is of Scotch 
origin, and his ancestors have for generations 
been noted for mechanical ability. His father, 
who was a skilled mechanic, came to America 
from .Scotland in his youth. James R. went 
with the family to Dorchester, N. H., where 
they resided for eleven years, after which they 
removed to Berkeley, R. I. He attended the 
public schools of Ashtou and Berkeley until 
he was 17 years old, when he went to w(jrk in a 
cotton mill. This occujiation was, howex'er, 
distasteful to him, and he came to Pawtucket, 
went to work in a sash and blind factory, and 
finally learned the art of .stair building with I). 
A. Kelley. Having acquired a thorough know- 
ledge of this trade he entered into co-partnership 
with Mr. Kelley, which was soon dis.solved owing 
in jiart to an accident that nearly proved fatal 
to Mr. Fairweather. He established himself in 
business in Providence. Nov. 10, 1890, which 
he discontinued when he purchased his former 



employer's business in 1893. The shop was 
then situated at 36 East avenue. In 1894 he 
removed to his present place, 41 to 45 Bayley 
street. Mr. Fairweather was a pupil in the 
first draughting class e.stablished in the Paw- 
tucket night school, and he profited to such an 
extent by his studies then and since that in the 
intricate problems involved in his business he is 
thoroughly proficient. As a result of this pre- 
paration he has been able to do such excellent 
work that from the first his business has been a 
success and is con.stanth' increasing. In politics 
Mr. Fairweather is a Republican. June 4, 
18.S4, he was married to Lydia Beachen of Paw- 
tucket, and they have had six children : James E., 
b. March 31, 1885 ; Clara Lydia, b. Jan. 8, 1887, 
d. Feb. 17, 1887; Eugene Elmer, b. May 17, 
1888, d. April 8, 1890; Fred Raymond, b. Jan. 
16, 1891 ; Gertrude May, b. April 23, 1893, d. 
April 30, 1893 ; Nettie Viola, b. May 16, 1895. 

FALCON, Abraham Z., M. D., was born in 
St. Jacques, P. O., Canada, March 15, 1856, 
and is the first child of Abraham and Enielie 
(Remillard) Falcon. He attended the public 
schools of his native town until he attained his 
thirteenth year, when he entered Montreal 
College, from which he was graduated when 21 
years old. He then turned his attention to the 
study of medicine and took a four years' course 
at the \'ictoria Medical College of Montreal, 
from which he received the degree of M. D. 
Believing the opportunities for the successful 
practice of his profession were broader in the 
United States than in Canada, he migrated to 
this country in 1879 and connnenced to practice 
in Central Falls. He also opened a drug store 
on Broad and Foundry streets, and from the 
first was .successful. He now has a large and 
lucrative practice which is continually increas- 
ing and in his .store does a good business. 

In public affairs the doctor is very active. 
He is a Democrat and has frequently held pub- 
lic ofTice. He has been a trustee of the school 
fund and has repre.sented his district in the 
lower house of the General Assembly for three 
succe.ssive terms, 1890-1-2. He is a member of 
the Rhode Island Medical Society and the 
Mortar and Pestle Club, the St. Jean Baptiste 



304 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY Ol' I' AWTU C K I'lT. 



Society, and the Circle Jacques Cartier. Sept. 
27, 1881, he was married to Melviiia Schiller of 
Central Falls. Dr. Falcon's ancestors were 
among the earl\ ImchcIi settlers of Canada, 
and they were descended from an old Normandy 
family. 

FALES, David L., the oldest son ;ind sec- 
ond child of James ('.. and ^[aria (Aldrich) 
P'ales, was born in Attleboro, Ma.ss., Dec. 22, 
1839. He moved to Pawtucket in 1843, and 
afterwards to Central Falls, where he attended the 
public schools until he attained his eighteenth 
year. He then served an apprenticeship of three 
years in the shop of Stephen R. Bucklin of Paw- 
tucket, and learned the blacksmith trade, after 
which he was employed for a short time in the 
machine shop of Fales & Jenks. In the spring of 
I S62 he enlisted for three months in the 9th Rhode 
Island Regiment and went to the front. Return- 
ing home he again enlisted in the nth Rhode 
Island Regiment for nine months. At the end 
of this ser\-ice he returned home and through ill 
health abandoned all business. In 1863 he 
again entered the shop of Fales & Jenks and 
remained there five years. In 1868 he opened 
a periodical and fruit store on High street. Cen- 
tral Falls, which he sold out in 1871, when he 
became a partner in the steam and gas pipe busi- 
ness with his brother-in-law, James H. Andrew, 
under the name of the Pawtucket Steam & Gas 
Pipe Co. The concern was incorporated in 
June, 1890, now carries on business at 32 East 
avenue, and Mr. Fales has been treasurer since 
the incoqjoration. 

Mr. F'ales is a Republican, a Free Ma.son 
and a Knight Templar. He has been married 
twice. His finst wife was Millisa A. Gage of 
Central Falls, who died April, 1866, leaving 
one son, Edward L., b. in 1866. In 1868 he 
married Cordelia A. Fales of Farmington, O., 
by which union there hav'e been two children, 
William C, b. Jan 28, 1871 ; Edith L., b. Aug. 
II, 1874. 

FALES, James Q., was born in .Vttleboro, 
Mass., March 17, 1814, and was the seventh child 
of John and Roby (Gilmore) Fales. The Fales 
family is of Welsh extraction. The finst of the 
name in America settled early in the sixteenth 



century in that ])art of North Wrentliani, Mass., 
formerly known as Tuckertuwn. iMnni this 
locality Peter Fales, the grandfather of James 
G., moved to Attleboro, worked at his trade as 
a carpenter, carried on a farm, and left a large 
family of sons and daughters who were active 
and prominent in the development of Attleboro 
and surrounding towns. John, the .son of Peter, 
inherited the farm in Attleboro, and conducted 
il until his death at the age of 80. He was 
prominent in town affairs and in the religious 
and social life of the connnunil\ . 

James G. was brought uj) on the old home- 
stead. He attended the public schools of Attle- 
boro until he was 13 years old, and for a period 
of five years thereafter he assisted his father on 
the farm. The monotonous character and 
drudger}- of this life were too irksome for the 
young man, so he left the farm and going to 
Pawtucket learned the machinist trade. Tliis 
occupation, however, proved injurious to his 
health, so three years later he began the busi- 
ness of retailing garden produce. He worked 
hard, saved money, and in 1847 opened a 
grocery store, in Pawtucket, on the site of the 
office of Lewis Fairbrother on North Main 
street. In 1S52 he discontinued his store in 
Pawtucket and opened one in Central Falls. 
His business prospered steadily, and he made 
money and became rich. He invested his capi- 
tal in houses and business blocks, and is now a 
large property owner. In 1874 he sold out the 
grocery business to his sons, who still carry on 
the store under the name of Fales Bros. Since 
that time Mr. Fales has lived a quiet, retired 
life, and has given part of his time to looking out 
for his real estate interests. 

Despite his 82 j'ears he is reniarkabl\- well 
preserved, is physically strong and acti\e, is 
clear minded, retains his interests in current 
affairs, and has full possession of his faculties. 
In his youth Mr. Fales was a Jack.sonian Demo- 
crat, then a Freesoiler, but for nian\- years lie 
has been a Republican. He married Maria 
Aldrich of Central Falls, and seven children 
were born to them : Roliy, David, Jose])h. Henry, 
Ellen, .Mice, and Albert, all of whom, with the 
exception of the last uanietl, are li\ing autl 



h I O ('. K A P H I Iv S . 



30s 



occupy i)ositioi]s of influence and luoniinence in 
Ihe connniinitw 

FALES, Joseph E., a son of James G. and 
Maria (Aldricli) Fales, was born Nov. 12, 
1.S41, in Attleboro, Mass. When he was about 
one and a half years old his parents came to 
I'awtucket, where he went to school, and also 
attended the schools in Central Falls, completing 
his education at A. G. Scholfield's Business 
College, Providence, at the age of seventeen. 
He then learned the trade of ornamental painting 
with John P. Arlin, with whom he worked 
until he was twenty-one. While so engaged 
he joined the Pawtucket Light (kiard, and 
when the members of that organization volun- 
teered in April, 1861, on President Lincoln's 
first call for troops, he was anxious to go with 
his comrades, but being under age his parents 
would not allow him to leave home. After 
leaving Mr. Arlin he went to work for Henry 
C. L. Dorsey at sign painting, and subsequently 
was employed at carriage painting by Eli Newell 
of Pawtucket. He .started can-iage painting in 
Stephen Perry's building. Mill street, Central 
Falls. He bought out the business of house 
painting and afterwards formed a partnership 
with E. H. Wade, with a shop in a building 
which occupied the site of the F'arwell Worsted 
Mills. In a short time he bought out his part- 
ner's interest, carried on the business for several 
years, when he sold out to T. P. Steere and 
went to Cameron Junction, Missouri, where he 
speculated in real estate with success. A few 
years later he disposed of his western holdings 
and returned to Central Falls, where he took 
occasional contracts for painting until 1S73, 
when he bought out the interest of George 
Morse who was then a partner of James G. 
P'ales, an<l with his brother, J. Henry Fales, 
formed a copartnership, since which time, on 
the corner of Central and High streets. Central 
Falls, they have carried on a grocery store under 
the name of Fales Brothers. They have built 
up a good business and ac-cuniulated consider- 
able pro])ert\'. The business is the largest of 
its kind in Central h'alls and tlie firm's teams 
cover a large terrilorw Mr. Fales is a member 
of Jenks Lodge, the Central P'alls X'eteran 



Firemen's A.ssociation, and the Lincoln Republi- 
can Association. He was a member of the town 
council of Lincoln for one year, and has been a 
member of the city council of Central Falls 
since the formation of the city. He attends the 
Broad Street Baptist church, Central Falls. In 
1S77 he was married to Sarah E. Dunham of 
Pawtucket, and they have three children, 
Bertha D., Lester P., and Flossie L. 

FARNSWORTH, Claudius B., was born at 
Groton, Mass., Jan. 8, 1815, and was edu- 
cated at the Groton Academy and Harvard 
College, graduating in 1841. He studied law 
at the Harvard University law school and with 
Timothy G. Coffin, of New Bedford, Mass., 
was admitted to the bar at Taunton, Mass., in 
1 844, and practiced his profes.sion in Rhode 
Island and Massachusetts. In 1859 he was 
elected treasurer of the Bunnell Manufacturing 
Co., in which position he continued for 25 years. 
For years he represented Pawtucket in the 
lower house of the state legislature, was a mem- 
ber of the town council in 18-4-5 and finally 
became town solicitor. He was a 32d degree 
Mason. 

The Farnsworths are of English origin, and 
the founder of the American family was Mathias 
Farnsworth or Farnscoth, who came from Man- 
chester, England, and settled in Lynn, Mass., in 
1657. Shortly after, he removed to Groton, 
Mass., as his name appears in the town records 
of that place in 1664. When King Philip war 
broke out he with others fled to Concord, Mass., 
but at its close returned to Groton. He appears 
to have been a man of considerable ability and 
was prominent in public affairs. The members 
of the family distinguished themselves in the 
revolutionary war and performed great sen-ice 
for the .\merican cause. 

FARNSWORTH, Claude J., was born in 
Pawtucket, Dec. 15, 18(12, and was the second 
child of Claudius H. and Marianna (Mclntire) 
I'arnsworth. He attended the private school of 
Rev. Charles H. Wheeler, Pawtucket, and the 
I'nixersily Grammar School, of Providence, and 
was graduated from Brown University in 1884. 
He studied law, and when admitted to the bar 
in 18S7 engaged in practice with his father, 



3o6 



ir.LUSTk AT]'. I> HISTORY ( ) !• I' A \V T U C K I'/P. 



with offices in Cole's block. He has taken 
hii;h rank in his profession, has conducted suc- 
cessfully nuui}' difficult cases, and has an exten- 
sive general practice. Mr. I-'arnswurlh is a 
Democrat and has taken a somewhat prciniinent 
jiart in juiblic affairs for a young man. He- 
was jirivate secretary to Gov. John W. l)a\is 
from 1.SS7 to 1890 and was a member of the Gen- 
eral Assembly in 1893. He is a jirominent 
Mason. April 29, i<S94, he was married to 
Elizabeth Barber Dorlis of New York, ])>• which 
union there is one child, Claude J. l-'arnsworlh, 
Jr., b. June 1 1, 1S95. 

FARWELL, Frederick S., was liorn in New 
I'ane, \'t., Jan. 11, 184;^, and was the second 
child of Lemuel and .\my H. ( Walden ) Karwell. 
He attended the pul)Iic schools of his native 
town until he was twehe >ears old. After 
leaving school he found em])Ioyniunt in a 
woolen factor\- at Millville, Mass., where he 
learned to be a weaver, at which occupation he 
worked five years, when lie went to Uxbridge, 
Mass., and engaged in making loom harnesses 
and chains at the Sa_\les Mills. January, 1S61, 
he entered the emploj- of Phetteplace & Sea- 
graves as section hand in the weaving room of 
their mill at Graniteville, R. I., where he 
remained two years. He then had charge of 
the weaving room for Philip Hawkins at Pas- 
coag, R. I., for one year. From there he went 
to the mill of A. L. Sayles at Pascoag as super- 
intendent, a position which he ably and accept- 
ablj- filled for nine years. Being ambitious and 
desirous of establishing a manufacturing busi- 
ness of his own, he entered into partnership in 
1S73 with William Tinkhani in the purchase of 
the Harrisville woolen mills and operated them 
with marked succe.ss under the firm name of 
Tinkham & Farvvell until 1884, when Mr. 
Karwell .sold out to Mr. Tinkham. He then 
entered into partnership with Charles Fletcher 
and operated the National Worsted Mills at 
Olneyville, Mr. Farvvell introducing and super- 
intending the weaving department. In 1891 he 
])urchase(l Mr. F'letcher's interest in the mills 
and although the firm had become a corpora- 
tion, he being the largest stockholder, practic- 
ally conducted the business. In 1893 the 



National Wor.sted Mills, belonging largely to 
Mr. Farvvell, were consolidated with the Provi- 
dence Worsted Mills, in which Mr. Fletcher was 
the heaviest and controlling owner, by the name 
(il the National and Providence Wor.sted Mills, 
under a charter from the Rhode Island General 
Assendily, with an authorized capital of $2,000,- 
000. When Mr. Farvvell .started the National 
Worsted Mills he only had 75 looms in operation 
but at the time of the consolidation these had 
increased to 337. He remained with the new 
corporation as superintendent of the weaving 
mills about eighteen months when he resigned. 
In 1894 he purchased the Central Falls Woolen 
Mills of 39 looms, but he has developed this 
plant until now he has in operation 109 looms. 
As a manufacturer Mr. Farwell is thoroughly 
proficient in all the details of his own industry, 
and his success is due to his accui^te practical 
knowledge, supplemented by good executive 
ability and skill as a financier. 

In Masonic circles Mr. Farwell has been 
active. He is a pa.st master of Granite Lodge, 
A. F. & A. M., of Burrillville, R. I., and a 
member of Calvary Commandery of Providence. 
He belongs to the Pomham, the West Side, the 
Country, and the Rhode Island Yacht Clubs, 
and to the Providence Athletic Association. 
He is an attendant of the Cranston Street Bap- 
tist church. Rev. Mr. Bixby, pastor. Politically 
he is a Republican and a believer in a high tariff. 
March 14, 1863, he was married to Helen M. 
Buchanan of Thompson, Conn., by which union 
there were two children: I{tta A., b. June 16, 
1864 ; and Jennie A., b. Aug. 24, 1S70, d. Jan. 

19. 1S72. 

Mr. Farvv'ell is descended on both sides 
from old New England families who trace their 
descent back to the first settlement of the coun- 
try. His father, Lemuel Farvvell, was b. in 
Townsend, \'t., Jan. 13, i,Si2, and d. Oct. i, 
1894, at North Cirafton, Mass. His mother. 
Amy B. Walden, b. in Glocester, R. I., Dec. 10, 
182 1 , is still living in the enjoyment of good health. 

FESSENDEN, Benjamin, the Hon., born 
June 13, 1797, died Jan. 6, 1881, was a member 
of a family whose history is coeval with the set- 
tlement of New England. He upheld the honor 



1'. roc, R A I'll I ES. 



307 



and dignity of his anccstrx- and was wortliv of 
reniemfjrance for liis own aclu(.-\x-incnts and 
character. 

The first of the name in America was John 
Fessenden, who came from Kent, Englanil, and 
settled in Cambridge, Mass., in 1636. He died 
without issue, leaving his propert}' to his nephew 
and niece, Nicholas and Hannah Fessenden. 
Nicholes left numerous descendants and was the 
direct ancestor of the family. The .seventh son 
of Nicholas was Beiijamin, born Jan. 30, 1701, 
who was graduated at Harvard College in 17 iS, 
was the minister of the church at Sandwich, 
Mass., from vSept. 12, 1722, to his death, Aug. 
7, 1746, and was also a physician. His eldest 
son, also named Benjamin, was likewise edu- 
cated for the ministry, graduating from Harvard 
in 1746, but became an innholder in Sandwich, 
and died Oct. 24, 1783. The third son of tlie 
secon<l Benjamin was William, horn Jan. 4, 
1769. He learned the trade of a printer in 
Boston, worked in the government printing 
offices in New York antl Philadelphia, then 
became a storekeejier in Waterville, Me., and 
finally bought out the other heirs and .settled 
on the paternal estate in Sandwich, where his 
second son Benjamin, the subject of this sketch 
was born. William P'e.s.senden died Oct. 24, 1S46. 

The third Benjamin Fessenden, like his 
grandfather and great-grandfather, was educated 
at Harvard College and became a clergyman. 
He was graduated in 18 17 in the same class 
with George Bancroft, Caleb Cushing, and the 
Rev. Drs. Alva Woods, J. H. Jones, Stephen 
Salisbury and Stephen H. Tyng. After study- 
ing three years at the Theological School in 
Cambridge he became on Sept. 19, 1.S21, the 
inini.ster of the I'nitarian cluuch at Ivast 
Bridgewater, Mass., but resigned No\-. 6, 1.S2S. 
on account of ill health. Dec. 13, 1S21 he was 
married to Mary Wilkinson of Pawtncket, 
daughter of Isaac Wilkinson, .\fter resigning 
his j)astorate he with his wife and {amil\' 
reiuoxed to Pawtucket, and there engaged in 
liusiuess in ccimpany with Hilward Mason. 

In 1S33 Ik- Ijecame interested with Ilenrx 
.\Iarchant in the N'alley Falls Mills. lie was 
also interested in the .\l)lii)ii Run Mannlactur 



ing Company, whose cotton mills were on the 
Cumberland side of the river at Valley Falls. 
He then established his home in that village 
and continued to reside there until his death, 
while his connection with the cotton manu- 
facture extended over a period of forty years. 

While attending to his own individual con- 
cerns Mr. Fes.seuden was at the same time a 
public spirited citizen. He represented the 
town of Cumberland in the Rhode Island Gen- 
eral Assembly and served as speaker of the 
House of Representatives in 1855-6, and in 
1869 and 1870 was successively elected a state 
senator. In politics he was originally a Whig, 
but on the formation of the Republican party 
he threw in his lot with it and continued in that 
political faith the re.st of his life. During the 
war of the rebellion he was active on the relief 
committees of the town. When 73 years of age, 
Mr. Fessenden, in 1870, was appointed bj- Presi- 
dent Grant postmaister of \'alley F'alls. and held 
the office for eight years. 

Although originally a Unitarian, Mr. Fes- 
senden from the time of his removal to Paw- 
tucket, was an attendant of the Bapti.st church. 
For twenty-five years he was the superintendent 
of the Sunday school of the Valley Falls Baptist 
church, but did not unite with that communion 
by liaptism in full fellow.ship until his eightieth 
year. Mr. Fessenden and his wife were mem- 
bers of the choir for forty years. The land on 
which the Baptist church stands in the village 
was presented to the society by Mr. Fessenden 
and his brother-in-law Henry Marchant. His 
wife, whose ancestors were Friends, had been a 
member of the church from the time of their re- 
moval to Valley Falls until her death — a period 
of fifty-four years. Mr. Fe.ssenden was a con.stant 
advocate of temperance, was engaged in the 
anti-masonic agitation, was active in the anti- 
sla\er\- movement, and was interested and 
helpful in other reforms. 

Mrs. h'essenden was born Oct. 11, 1804, 
and died at X'alley Falls, July 27, 1871, in her 
S4th year. Xine children were the issue of the 
marriage, most of whom died in infancy. Two 
of the sons, Robert and Charles H., participated 
on the I'nion siile in the war of the rebellion, 



3oS 



ILI.rSTRATKI) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKl'/r. 



the former rising to the rank of colonel, and the 
latter was killed at Rolla, Mo., April lo, 1865. 
Mary Wilkinson, the only daughter, was married 
to William F. Sayles, the well known manulac 
turer of Pawtucket, hnt she passed a\\a\ in 
1885, the year before her nidlher's death. Tlu- 
two surviving sons, Russell !•". who resides in the 
old house at Valley Falls, and Robert living at 
Barrington, R. I., are the onl\- living rc]irescnt- 
ali\es of the family. 

FISHER, Oilman Clark, was Ixirn in 
Francestown, N. H., Jnl\ ij, 1S41, and is the 
youngest child of Mathew A. and Jane C. 
Fisher. He attended the public .schools of his 
native town until he attained his i,^th year, 
when he began to earn his own living, and 
except for a few scattering terms, first at Fran- 
cestown Academy, and afterw-ards at Foxcroft 
Academy, Maine, received no more schooling 
until the close of the civil war, when he deter- 
mined to fit for college. He taught his first 
school in Foxcroft, Me., in the winter of 1860-1, 
receiving $16 per month. The following 
spring he enli.sted in a nine months regiment, 
being then nineteen j-ears of age, served his 
time, but when he came home began teaching 
again. When principal of the Dexter, Me., 
high school he was drafted for one year and 
went to the front a second time. During the.se 
two periods of .service he was in .several battles, 
first in the Red River Expedition under Gen. 
Banks, and afterwards in Virginia, being pres- 
ent at the surrender of L,ee. He fitted for 
college at Phillips Exeter Academy, N. H., 
and entered the sophomore year at Waterville 
College, now Colby University, Water\-ille, 
Me., graduating in 1869. Both during his 
college cour.se and subsequently he taught the 
Castine, Me., high .school. 

In 1870, Mr. Fi.sher went to Europe, as 
foreign correspondent for a number of papers, 
including the Springfield Republican, for which 
he wrote over the signature of " Horns" : but 
his aims had always been educatioiial, and on 
his return to this country- he re-engaged in 
teaching. He taught the Swampscott, Mass., 
high school two years and the West granunar 
school in Maiden, Mass., four 3'ears. Several 



sununer vacations were .spent abroad and an 
absence of several months passed in traveling 
in European and Asiatic Russia, during which 
lu- wnitc for a number of ])eriodicals, including 
the Boston Journal, to which he contributed 
two series of articles entitled, one " A Run 
Through Russia," and the other "A Tri]) 
Around the Black Sea." 

.Since 1878 Mr. Fisher has been continu- 
ously in the superintendency, serving four years 
in Dover, N. H., eight years in Weymouth, 
Mass., two years in Muskegon, Mich., and at 
the present writing four years in Pawtucket. 
He is the author of a manual of primary arith- 
metic and the "Essentials of Geography," 
which was formerly an aiunial publication 
embracing the " Greographical News of the 
Year" as an appendix. This was also ])nl)- 
li.shed separately. All of these works ha\'e liad 
a large sale, the two former being still on the 
market. As a contributor to periodicals in the 
past, including the Galaxy and Eippincotts, he 
has had some measure of literary success, but 
he is confining himself at present strictly to the 
work of his chosen profession. 

Mr. Fisher is a Republican. He attends 
the Pawtucket Congregational church, and is a 
member of the Business Men's Association, of 
Tower Post, the Knights of Pythias, and (ither 
organizations. He was married to Harriet \\". 
Stevens of Castine, Me. 

FISK, Stephen Perry, was born in Scitnale, 
R. I., Oct. if), 1813, but very early in life estab- 
lished himself in Pawtucket where he became a 
well known contractor and builder, succeeding 
in this business his father. Stephen Fisk, who was 
born in Scituate, R. I., Jan. 14, 1784, and died 
at Pawtucket, Mass., Nov. 30, 1S52. .Stejihen 
P. learned the trade of a carpenter in Providence, 
and came to Pawtucket in 1836. For a year or 
two he was foreman of the building operations 
at the Dunnell printworks, and then went into 
business with Nathaniel Eewin under the firm 
name of Lewin ^: h'isk, as carpenters and 
builders. vSubse(iuentl\- Charles E. Kenyon 
was taken into the firm, when the name became 
Lewin, Fisk t<: Keinon. This firm built some 
of the largest mills in the state at that time. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



309 



aiiioiijT them being the Athiiitic Delaine mill in 
Ohieyville. Mr. Fisk retired from this firm in 
1868, and entered the employ of the Providence 
Washington, Equitable, Atlantic and Hope 
Insurance companies as adjuster and examiner. 
With the two companies first name he remained 
until the day of his death, twenty- five years, but 
the Atlantic and Hope companies went out of 
business at the time of the Chicago fire, at 
which time Mr. Fisk .settled claims amounting 
to over $1,000,000. During his connection with 
these companies he .settled thousands of claims, 
and was one of the oldest and best known insur- 
ance adjusters in New England. He was elected 
one of the directors of the Pawtucket Mutual 
Fire Insurance Company in 1859 and held that 
position as long as he lived, a period of thirty- 
four years, being the oldest director in the com- 
pany. He was one of the trustees of the Park 
Place Congregational church from its organiza- 
tion and one of the building committee of the 
church. He was a member of the Knights 
Templars and in his younger days took an active 
part in that order. He took no part in politics, 
but gave his whole attention to business, and 
was active and energetic, showing little of the 
marks of advancing age up to the time of his 
death. 

The niansion hou.se still occupied by the 
Fisk family, was erected on the site of the Paw- 
tucket Academy, which was built here in 182S 
on a ledge of rocks. In preparing for his new 
house, Stephen P. Fisk had to blast awa}- a por- 
tion of this ledge, an undertaking which took 
many weeks. The great rock on which the 
house is founded was the same one that made it 
necessary for the old part of Main street to 
follow such a crooked line, as the road was origi- 
nally laid out in 1816 so as to go around it. 
The rock is thus one of the historic landmarks 
of Pawtucket. Mr. Fisk was married July 4, 
1836, to Sarah Marchant, who was born Sept. 5, 
1814, and is .still living in the old hou.se. He 
died May 18, 1893. The> had three children, 
Joanna Francis, b. Nov. 23, 1840, d. Dec. 18, 
1842 ; Frank Duane and Stephen Francis, twins, 
b. in Pawtucket, Dec. 13, 1843. Frank Duane 
d. March ly, 1895. 



The American founder of the Fisk family 
is supposed to have come to this country about 
1620, and the family line is traced back to 
Symond Fisk, lord of the manor of Steadhangle, 
Suffolk county, I^ngland. A genealogy, pre- 
pared by P'red C. Pierce, 120 Fifth avenue 
Chicago, III., is now in tlie hands of the pub- 
lishers. 

FISK, Stephen Francis, son of the foregoing, 
was educated in the jniblic schools of Pawtucket 
and Providence until he was 17 years old. He 
learned the drug business with J. Balch & Son 
of Providence after a four year cour.se, and in 
1869 he opened a druggist's establishment at 
his present location, 215 Main street, where he 
conducts a high class and successful business in 
this line. Mr. Fisk served during the war of 
the rebellion in the 9th Rhode Island Regiment. 
For five years he was a member of the state 
militia, and during this period was on the staff 
of General William R. Walker with the rank of 
major. In politics he is a Republican. He is 
a member of the Congregational Club. He is 
a past uia.ster of Union Lodge of Free Masons, 
is a Knight Templar and a member of the Mys- 
tic .Shrine, belongs to the Pawtucket Business 
Men's Association, the To Kalon Club, and is a 
charter member of Tower Post, G. A. R. Jan. 
1,1. 1^*^75. he was married to Susan Joanna Shel- 
don of Providence, and they have one daughter, 
Hope Sheldon Fisk, b. July 15, 1882. .Mr. 
Fisk with his famih' resiilcs in the old mansion, 
erected by his father, and his mother is a mem- 
ber of the household. 

FITZ, Edward Eustace, the third child of 
the Re\-. William and b'Uen L. (.Salisbury) Fitz, 
was born in Westerly, R. I., Aug. 23, 1862. 
He went to school until he was sixteen years 
old, when he became a clerk in a retail grocerj- 
.store in Burrillville, R. I. Removing thence 
to Providence he continued in the same busi- 
ness. In 1880 he became a clerk for the Nichol- 
.son F'ile Co., of Providence, and was steadily 
promoted, becoming superintendent's clerk and 
finally purchasing agent, and remained with the 
company nine years. He next secured the posi- 
tion of superintendent of the New American 
File Co., Central Falls, which concern was pur- 



vo 



ILLUSTRATKD HISTORY OK PAWTlCKKT 



cliasi.'il 1)\- the- Xicliolsou l"ik- Co. in November, 
iSyi). wiili wliciin he- i\iiiaiii(.-(l in the same posi- 
tion until the spiini; of i.Sy6, when he assumed 
control as superintendent of the parent plant at 
Providence. I'nder Mr. Fitz's administration 
the Central Falls plant increased from an output 
of 300 to 1200 dozen per da)\ The Nicholson 
File Company has a plant at Beaver Falls, Pa., 
which is the lart^est concern of its kind west of 
New Kngland, and Mr. Fitz is also manager of 
this establishment. May 26, 1.SS6, he was mar- 
ried to Mimiie L. Whelden of l^ast Providence, 
by which union there are two children : Helen 
E., b. Nov. 24, iSSS, and lu'Ie \V., 1). Feb. 
I , I S9 1 . 

The I'"itz familv haxx- been prominent in 
Massachusetts for generations. Mr. Fitz's 
father, who was a prominent Baptist minister, 
was b. in Haverhill, Mass.. Aug. 5, 1828, and 
(I. in Hurrillville, R. I., Jan. S, 1S95. His 
uncle, the Hon. H. C. Fitz, was mayor of Chel- 
sea, Mass., a Massachusetts state senator, and a 
member of the governor's .staff. His maternal 
grandfather, Daniel M. Sali.sbury, was one of 
the jiioneer cotton manufacturers in Bunillville, 
R. 1., carried on a general store there for many 
years and his ancestors were among the first 
settlers of northern Rhode Island. 

FOLLETT, Francis F., was born in vSwan- 
sea, Mass., in 1820. His ancestors were among 
the first settlers of the Old Colon>', and the Fol- 
lets have been numerous and prominent in 
Swansea and Reholwth for generations. Many 
of them were ship builders in vSwansea during 
the last and early in the present century. 
After obtaining a meagre amount of schooling, 
P'rancis F. came to Pawtucket, Mass., in 1835, 
and learned the trade of cigar making, which 
industr\- both as a journe\nian and a nianufac- 
tun.-r lie has followetl all his life. In 1S67 in 
company with his son, Ferdinand A. Follett, he 
engaged in cigar manufacturing on Green street, 
Pawtucket, under the firm name of F. F. Follett 
& Son. Father and son worked well together, 
and built up an extensive and paying business. 
The father was the traveling man while the son 
was the buyer of stock and manager of the fac- 
tory. This arrangement contiinied until 1893 



when 1'". 1'". b'ollett retired in fa\-or of his son, 
who now owns the business entirelw 

FOLLETT, Ferdinand A., son of Francis 
I'. lM)llett, was born in Pawtucket, Mass., July, 
1845. He was educated in the Pawtucket ]>ub- 
lic schools, and when he left school began to 
learn the trade of a cigar maker. From 1867 
until 1893 he was in business as a cigar manu- 
facturer with his father under the name of F". F. 
Follett I.S; Son. In the latter year his father 
retired, the business was incorporated as the 
F. F. Follett & Son Company, and Mr. Follett 
has since conducted it at the old location, 
9 Green street. The company now employs 
from twenty to thirty people, makes from 1,000,- 
000 to 1,800,000 cigars a year, covers Rhode 
Lsland by wagons, and makes the Crown, La 
Rosa, Crown Junior, Cavalier, B. K., Eagle, 
Newport, and many private brands of cigars. 
The cigars have always been of a high grade, 
which accounts for the popularity they have at- 
tained. The establishment has been the largest 
cigar mainifactory in Pawtucket since 1864. 

In national politics Mr. Follett is a Repub- 
lican. He enlisted in 1862 in the 9th Rhode 
Island Regiment. He belongs to the Barney 
Merry Lodge of Masons, United Workmen, and 
the Pawtucket Business Men's Association. In 
1867 he was married to Susan, daughter of 
Joseph Quamby of Pawtucket, and the}- have 
two children : Frederick L., and C^race E., 
twins, b. 1868. 

FOLLETT, Jabez, was born in the town of 
vSmithfield in 1821. His early opportunities 
for education were very limited, as he attended 
school only three months in the year, and worked 
on his father's farm and at the lime kilns the 
rest of the time. When 15 years old he took a 
course at the academy in Oxford, Mass. I'rom 
the age of 17 until he was ji he worked with 
his father in the lime induslrv. He llien ileter- 
mined to depart from the customs of liis ancestors 
and seek for success in other lines. Accordingly 
he went to work for Clark Pierce, candy maini- 
facturer, of Central Falls, as a traveling sales- 
man in Massachu.setts and Rhode Island, and 
held this position for three xears. Then he 
became a stage dri\ei lor W'elherell \- P>ennett. 





JAMES R. FAIRWEATHER, 
STAIR BUILDER AND CABINET MAKER 



JABE2 FOLLETT, 

: OF FOLLETT 4 STEERE EXPRESS CO. 





FRANCIS F. FOLLETT, 



FERDINAND A. FOLLETT, 



OF F. F. FOLLETT t 





GEORGE H. FULLER, 
FOUNDER OF GEORGE H. FULLER \ SON 



CHARLES H. FULLER, 
OF GEORGE H. FULLER \ SON. 



312 



ILLUSTRATin) IIISTORV OK PAWTUCKIvT. 



who operated a line of coaches between Pro\-i- 
deiice and I'awtncket. He was a jiopular 
dri\-ev, for he averaged 40 niiiiules for tlie tri]) 
with four horses, and made three trips dail\ . 
When Sterry Fry succeeded Wetherell ^: 
Bennett in 1854, Mr. I''ollett nuule six trips. 
The fare was 12'.. cents and was soon reduced 
to 10 cents each way. He was on the line about 
12 years, when he had saved sufficient money to 
enable him to start in busine.ss for himself. He 
then bought out the expressing and teaming 
business of Charles Baker of Central Falls, at 
once put on a line of teams to Providence, 
carried a large amount of freight, and the 
increase of business was such that he employed 
forty horses constantly. His foresight caused 
him to add to the business the selling of horses, 
carriages, harnesses, etc. He prospered and 
accumulated considerable property. The head- 
quarters of the business were on Cross street. 
About 1S83 Mr. Follett sold the Providence 
exjiress traffic and all the horses to P. C. Lull, 
and has since devoted his time to looking after 
his investments. He now resides in a beautiful 
modern mansion, corner of Washington antl 
Central streets, Central Falls. At the age of 
75 Mr. Follett is hale and hearty and is full of in- 
terest in all things. He was married in 1S45 
to Susan A. Chamberlin of Central Falls. 

The F'ollett faniilw consisting of three 
brothers and five si.sters, came from Fjigland to 
America early in the last century, and settled 
in vSmithfield and Cumberland. They were 
among the first settlers and they and their 
descendants have resided in those neighborhoods 
ever since. Down to Mr. Follett's grandfather 
time the)' were all farmers. Mr. Follett's father, 
Leonard J. Follett, moved to Smithfield when a 
boy, conducted a farm awhile, and also engaged 
in lime burning. He was a successful and 
industrious man, and died in 1S54, when 62 
years of age. The eldest son, L. J. Follett, 
left Smithfield about iSs*^'. went to Adams, 
Mass., and founded the lime business there. 
He is now deceased but the business is carried 
on by his sons under the firm name of L. J. 
Follett & Sons. They also have an extensi\e 
lime business at Pownal, \'t. 



FONTAINE, Hermenegilde, the second 
child of Tiniothee and \'irginie (Forant) F'on- 
taine, was born in St. Angele, Quebec, Canada, 
June 11, iSi^is, and obtained his education in 
the elementary schools of his native country. 
In March, 1880, he came to Central F'alls and 
went to work in the store of ,St. Germain, corner 
Broad and Fales street. He then became book- 
keeper for John M. F^'ournier, devoted himself 
assiduously to ma.stering the business and is 
now head bookkeeper and confidential clerk for 
Founder & Schiller Co. At the second city 
election in Central Falls he was chosen alder- 
man from the second ward on the Republican 
ticket. He belongs to the Church of the Sacred 
Heart, Central Falls, was a charter member of 
the Cercle Jacques Cartier, and is a member of 
the St. Jean Bapti-ste Societj-. In 1891 he was 
married to Rosanna Rocheleau, and they have 
three children : Elzear, b. April 18, 1892 ; Edgar, 
b. Jul\- II, 1894: Fernand, b. April 11, 1896. 

FORTIER, Adelard, J., D.D.S., the second 
child of Adolph and \'italine (La liranche) 
h'ortier, was born in Baltic, Conn., l-'eb. 24, 
187 1. He received his primary education in 
the public schools of Connecticut, and then 
entered Holy Cross College, Farnham, P. Q., 
Canada, from which he was graduated in 18.SS. 
He was a teacher at that college foi- one term, 
at the end of which time he came to Pawtucket 
and entered the dry goods business, in which 
he remained until 1S90. He then turned his 
attention to the study of dentistry, entered the 
Baltimore College of Dental Surgerj- in 1891, 
and was graduated in 1894 with the degree of 
I). D. vS. Lpon his return to Pawtucket he 
established himself at 6 Park place where he 
practices his profession succe.ssfnlly. The doc- 
tor is a member of the Rhode Island Dental 
Society and belongs to the Knights of Pythias. 
In national and state politics he is a Democrat. 

Di-. Fortier's father was born at .St. Judes, 
l'rn\ince of Quebec, his mother at St. H\acin- 
the. The ancestors of both were amung the 
earliest I'rench settlers of Canada. 

FOURNIER, John M., the oldest child .if 
James and l'",lmire (Cliagnon) l'"iiuinier, was 
born ()ct. ly, 1845, in Mariexille, Canada. 



BIOOKAPHIKvS. 



313 



llntil he was 12 years old he attended the public 
schools of his native place, and then worked on 
his father's farm until he was 16. At that age 
he began to learn the trade of carriage making, 
and at the exjiiration of his ajiprenticeship, when 
19 years olil, in 1S65, he came to Troy, N. Y. 
The following year he came to Rhode Island 
antl located in Central Falls, secured employ- 
ment as a house carpenter, and through careful 
frugality and self-denial saved sufficient to enable 
him to invest in real estate. His venture proved 
profitable and in 1871 he opened a meat market 
in partnership with his brother Joseph, under 
the firm name of Fournier Bros. One year later 
they added a stock of groceries, making a gen- 
eral grocery and provision store, which business 
was continued until 1 874, when'Joseph sold his in- 
terest. The name was then changed to Fournier 
& Co., under which style it was conducted until 
1879, when Hector vSchiller became a partner 
under the name, Union Cash Store, Fournier «S: 
Schiller, proprietors. Three years later the 
firm added boots and shoes, hats, caps, and 
gentlemen's furnishings, converting the store 
into a large general emporium. In 1882 
Alphon.se Schiller was admitted a partner. In 
1883 the firm opened a bakery on Sheridan 
street in connection with the store, which ven- 
ture also proved successful, and in 1885 com- 
menced the manufacture of preserves, jams and 
jellies, and in 1888 the canning industr}- was 
introduced. Having such demands for the goods 
and with trade increasing so constantly that 
more room was needed, the firm constructed the 
building now occupied, and added necessar}' 
machinery and implements as required by the 
business. Jan. 1892, it was concluded to divide 
the business. Messrs. Fournier and Alphonse 
Schiller took the bakery, canning and preserv- 
ing departments, and have since devoted all their 
energies to the development of this business 
with such good result that it is now the largest 
plant of its kind in Rhode Island. The estab- 
lishment is located at 9 and 11 Sheridan street, 
Central Falls. Besides an extensive bakery, 
there are departments devoted to preserving, 
canning, pickling and making ketchup and mus- 
tard, and maple sugar and syrup are dealt in 



extensively. In 1893 the business was incor- 
porated as the Fournier & Schiller Co., Mr. 
I'-ournicr being the president and treasurer. 

In politics Mr. Fournier is an active Repub- 
lican and has been repeatedly honored by the 
peoj)le of Lincoln and the city of Central Falls. 
He was a member of the town council in 1887-8, 
town auelitor from 1892 to 1895, a commissioner 
of the sinking fund of the Central P'alls P'ire 
District, and is now a cunimi.ssioner of the sink- 
ing fund of Central I'alls. Mr. Fournier was a 
member of the legislature from Lincoln from 
1892 to 1895, and most faithfully di.scharged 
the duties thus devolving upon him. He also 
represented the city of Central Falls in the 
legislature in 1895 and 1896. He was com- 
pelled to retire from the legislature because of 
the constant increase of his business. As a 
staunch Republican, he has been one of the 
leaders of the party in this section, respected 
and esteemed alike in business and social cir- 
cles. In 1867 he was married to Louise Ruel. 
By this union there are two children : Exeline 
and Delia. His first wife died in 1873, and he 
was married to Louise Schiller in 1876, b^- 
which union there is no issue. 

FOWLER, George Herbert, the son of 
George D. and Abigail (Adams) Fowler, was 
born in Northbridge, Mass., July 16, 1852. 
He attended school in Barre, Mass., whither his 
family removed in 1854, until he attained his 
sixteenth year. Then for a short time he went 
to Worcester Academy, but having determined 
to study mechanical engineering he entered 
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, from which he 
was graduated with honors in 1873. He then 
went to work in a small machine shop in Provi- 
dence, where he remained until 1874, when he 
connected himself with the Providence Tool Co. 
In his capacity as draughtsman he made the 
acquaintance of George H. Webb who was con- 
structing some machines for that company, and 
from this casual intercourse his connection with 
the Pawtucket Manufacturing Co. commenced. 
His ability impressed Mr. Webb who engaged 
him as soon as he found his sen-ices could be 
secured. On the incorporation of the Pawtucket 
Manufacturing Co. in 1882, Mr. Fowler was 



314 



ILI.USTR ATIU) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT. 



elected treasurer and retained that position until 
his death, Jan. 4, 1.S95. His loss was severely 
felt by the company, but it falls most heavily on 
Mr. Webb, the general manager, who sadlj- 
misses Mr. Fowler's sympathetic intelligence 
and his quick comprehension of the mechanical 
devices placed before him. 

In all his business relations Mr. F''owler was 
a man of strict integrity and high principles, 
and his treatment of his employees was always 
considerate and kind. He was a man of strong 
domestic tendencies and outside ol the duties 
due his family and friends took no active part 
in general affairs. He was married to Lula A. 
Reynokls. Dec. 7, 1SS7, who .still survives him. 

FREEMAN, Edward Livingston, is one of 
the ablest public and business men in the state 
of Rhode Island. He was born Sept. 10, 1835, 
in Waterville, Me., and was the first born child 
of the Rev. Edward and Harriet (Colburn) 
I'reeman. He received his early education from 
his father and was prepared to enter college ; 
but developing a desire to learn the printer's 
art was apprenticed when 15 jears old in 1S50 
to A. W. Pearce, of Pawtucket, R. I. Having 
acquired a thorough knowledge of his trade he 
obtained a position as journeyman with the firm 
of Hammond, Angell & Co., of Providence, 
and was finalh- admitted to the firm. In 1863 
he disposed of his interest and opened a printing 
office in a small room in the large three story 
brick building (now owned liy him) in Central 
F'alls, R. I. His entire staff consisted of two 
men and a boy. F'rom this modest beginning 
he has built up one of the largest printing and 
publishing establishments in the state and now 
occupies the entire block. In 1869 he began 
the publication of the Weekly Visitor, a journal 
that contributed greatly to the growth and 
development of Central Falls and vicinity. For 
21 years he cojidiicted this newspaper success- 
fully, and sold it to David J. White of Paw- 
tucket in 1890. In 1873 John K. Goldsworthy 
was admitted as a partner, under the firm name 
of E. L. Freeman & Co. Mr. Ooldsworthy 
retired in 1885 and Mr. Freeman's oldest son, 
William C, was admitted to partnership under 
the firm name of E. L. Freeman &. Son. In 



March, 1896, his second son, Joseph W., was 
admitted to the firm and is now the general 
manager of the printing department. Since 
1877 all the official printing for the .state of 
Rhode Island, including the public laws and all 
reports and documents, has been done in the 
firm's establishment at Central Falls. In 1877 
the hou.se purchased a large book and stationary 
store in Providence, and in 1888 opened a similar 
store in Pawtucket. These stores were success- 
ful from the first, and the volume of business 
transacted is continually increasing every year. 
In public affairs Mr. Freeman has a distin- 
guished record. He has served the people in var- 
ious capacities from fireward to .state senator, and 
always with honor and distinction. He earh- de- 
veloped a remarkable capacity for the clear and 
comprehensive under.standing of public matters 
and being a man of progressive thought has 
made a deep impress on the legislation of this 
state. For nineteen years he was a member of 
the board of firewards (the governing-body of 
Central Falls) and was also a school trustee. 
For twenty-one \"ears he has been a member of 
the Rhode Island legislature ; representative 
from the old town of Smithfield, 1868-70 ; sena- 
tor from Smithfield, 1870-1; senator from 
Lincoln, 1S71-2; representative 1874-7, 1879-89, 
and was Speaker of the House from May, 1874 
to 1S76. He was elected senator from Lincoln 
1892, and has been re-elected from that town 
and from the city of Central Falls at every 
election since. He is now chairman of the 
judiciary committee of the senate. Mr. F'ree- 
man is a fluent speaker, a man of clear, positive 
ideas, and for many years has been the legisla- 
tive leader of his party. He has been state 
railroad commissioner since 1S88. Before the 
reorganization of the state militia he was colonel 
of the Union Guard, one of the oldest military 
organizations in the state. He is a director in 
many corporations, where his business sagacity 
is highly valued. He joined the Central Falls 
Congregational church in 1855 and has ever 
since taken an active part in the Sunday school 
work. In 1883 he was made superintendent 
aiul still discharges the duties of that office. 
In Masonic affairs Mr. F-reeman has been dis- 



BIOG RAPHIKS. 



315 



tinguished above most members of the Craft. 
He has filled nearly every important office in 
the order in the state. At present he is the 
oldest Past Grand Master and is also Past Grand 
Commander of the Grand Commandery of 
Knights Templars of Massachusetts and Rhode 
Island. He is likewise a member of many 
other fraternal societies. Nov. 10, 1858, he 
was married to Emma E. Brown of Central 
P'alls, b}' which union there were seven child- 
ren, two of whom are deceased. Those living 
are ; William C, b. Aug. 11, 1859 ; Joseph \V., 
h. May 9, 1S63 ; P'dward, b. April 13, 1S67, 
now a Methodist clergyman; E)mma R., 1). 
Sept. 13, 1865; Lucy J., b. Nov. 19, 1873. 

Mr. Freeman traces his ancestry back to 
some of the first .settlers of Massachusetts. His 
grandfather, Edward Freeman, was born in 
1 78 1, and his grandmother, Sarah Thayer, was 
born Aug. 5, 1783. His father, who was born in 
Mendon, Mass., in April, 1806, was an eminent 
Bapti.st clergyman and a scholar of prominence. 
He graduated in the class of 1833 from Brown 
University, Providence, R. I., and studied theo- 
logy in the University of the Baptist church. 
He died in Camden, Me., in 1883, beloved 
and regretted by all who knew the worth of his 
sterling character. Mr. Freeman's mother v^-as 
born in 1815 at Dedliam, Mass., and received a 
classical education at the Medfield, Mass., high 
school, from which she was graduated with high 
honors. She was a linguist of a high order, and 
taught French and L,atin for man}- years. She 
died when in the prime of life, aged 37 years. 

FREEMAN, Joseph Wood, the second son 
of Edward L. and Emma E. (Brown) Freeman, 
was born in Central Falls, May 9, 1863. After 
attending the public schools, at the age of 14 
he entered Mowry & Goff's EnglLsh and Classical 
school. Providence, where he fitted for college. 
He was graduated from Brown University with 
the degree of A.B. in 1885, and in 1889 received 
the degree of Master of Arts. Immediately 
upon leaving college, Mr. Freeman became 
editor of the Central Falls Weekly Visitor, 
which he conducted until 1890, when the paper 
was sold and consolidated with the Pawtucket 
Record. Since then he has devoted his time to 




JOSEPH W. FREEMAN, 
OF E. L. FREEMAN A SONS. 

the printing business, is now a member of the 
firm of E. L. Freeman & Sons, and has charge 
of the printing office in Central Falls. He has 
been librarian of the Central Falls Free 
Public Library from its establishment in 1882 
until the present time and has devoted much 
time and care to its management. During this 
period it has grown from one of the smallest 
libraries in the state, having less than 900 vol- 
umes, to one of the largest, now having about 
7000 volumes. While greatlj' handicapped Ijy 
insufficient appropriations and unsuitable quar- 
ters it has accomplished much good work and 
its selection of books has been frequently and 
warmly commended. Mr. Freeman has held 
several town offices, having been clerk and 
moderator of the voting district of Central Falls, 
a member of the Lincoln school committee, and 
secretary and chairman of the board of sewer 
connnissioners. 

Mr. Freeman was one of the special super- 
visors at the town election in 1890, when the 
famous "tissue ballot " frauds were discovered, 
and it was largely owing to his detennined oppo- 
sition to the count made by the election officials 
on election day, and his record then made, 
backed up by his convincing testimony before 



3i6 



ILLUSTK ATl'I) HISTORY OF I'AW T U C K I':T. 



the .Sii])reiiie Court, that the fraxul was detected 
ami the victory awarded to the successful party. 

Ik- is actively interested in Masonic affairs 
and is a Knight Templar as well as a 32d degree 
Mason in the Scottish Rite. In 1894 he was 
W. Master of Union Lodge, No. 10, A. I', and 
.\. M. of I'awtncket. Mr. Freeman is a nieni- 
lit-r ol the Lincoln Republican Association, 
Hallou Post Associates, Rhode Island Master 
Printers A.ssociation, Central F'alls Veteran 
F'iremen's Association, M>stic vShrine, and other 
societies. He has written numerous historical 
sketches, and compiled many catalogues and 
reports. He was married June 23, i.S,S6, to 
Elizabeth King Fales, daughter of the late 
Oeorge S. and Frances (Baker) b'ales of Paw- 
tucket. George S. Fales was a prominent 
leather manufacturer of Pawtucket, the son of 
Da\id C. Fales and brother of John R. F^ales, 
of the I'ales & Jenks Machine Co. He was 
an expert mining engineer, and the la.st ten 
years of his life were spent principally in 
Mexico and the United States of Colombia, 
South America, in erecting mining machinerj-. 
Mr. Freeman has four children : David Lincoln, 
b. June 8, 1887 ; Edward Livingston, b. Jul}- 
10, 1891 ; Elizabeth King Fales, b. Oct. 28, 
1893 ; and Frances Louise, b. July 2, 1895. 

FREEMAN, William Capron, oldest child 
of luhvard L. and Emma E. (Brown) Freeman, 
was born in Central F'alls, Aug. 11, 1859. He 
received his early education in the inililic 
schools of Central Falls, and then went to 
Mowry & Goff's English and Classical School, 
Providence, but left that institution before he 
had graduated, to take a position in his father's 
book and stationary store in Providence. B\- 
strict apjilication he mastered every detail of 
the retail business, and eventually became man- 
ager of the store. In 1885 he purchased John 
E. Goldsworthy's interest in the firm, the name 
of which was then changed from I^. L. Freeman 
& Co., to E. L. F'reeman & Son. 

He continued as the active resident manager 
of the store until 1888, when the firm started a 
plant in Central p-alls for gelatine printing, and 
organized that business under the name of the 
Artogravure Co. The pictures turned out were 



reproductions of masterpieces of painting and 
sculpture, photographs of buildings, and scenes 
of interest. Some of them were in black and 
white and others 1)eautifull\- tinted, and all 
were finel>' finished, artistic in conce]ition and 
treatment, and could be turned out at a low- 
cost. Mr. F'reeman made a success of this 
indnstrx' and managed it until iSi-;,s. meanwhile 
retaining an o\-ersight of the stalionar\ stores 
in Providence and Pawtucket. In 1^9,^ the 
Arlogravure Co. was con.solidateil with the Art 
Publishing Co., of Gardner, Mass., and Charles 
Taber iS: .Sons of New Bedford, Mass., under 
the name of the Taber Art Co., and all the 
plants were moved to New Bedford, into the 
premises occupied by Charles Taber tSi ,Sons. 
Mr. Freeman was elected president of the new- 
company, which position he still retains. He 
at once made his headquarters in New Bedford 
and moved his family there the following year. 
He has charge of selling the goods, and has a 
corps of ten or twelve traveling salesmen under 
his orders. Personally he is a very successful 
.salesman, and occasionally goes among the 
trade in the large cities. The company turns 
out all descriptions of modern process pictures, 
including gelatines, photographs, etchings, arto- 
types, and makes picture frames of all .styles 
and varieties. The house also handles the art 
productions of other manufacturers, both in this 
country and abroad. From 200 to 400 persons 
are employed at the works, according to the 
season and the .state of the business. Mr. F'ree- 
man still retains his connection with the firm of 
E. L. Freeman & Sons, and the stores in 
Providence and Pawtucket are under his 
control. 

When William P. Sheffield was a])pointed 
by (Governor Bourn, Nov. 19, 1884, to fill out 
in the llnited .States Senate the unexpired term 
of Henry B. Anthony, who died Sept. 2, 1884, 
Mr. Freeman was appointed private .secretary 
to .Senator .Sheffield, went >)n to Washington 
and held this position until the end of the .sena- 
torial term, Jan. 21, 1885. He then accepted a 
similar position with Jonathan Chace, who was 
elected to succeed Mr. Sheffield, and remained 
with Mr. Chace for about two years in this 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



317 



capacit\', after which he made an extended tri]) 
Ihrou.^h tlie West. 

In 18.SS Mr. Freeman was married to Cirace 
Mand Cleveland of Indianapolis. They have 
fonr children. He belongs to all the Ma.sonic 
bodies of Pawtucket, was a member of the Paw- 
tucket Business Men's Association and the T. K. 
Club while he resided here, and is now a mem- 
ber of the Wamsutta Club of New Bedford. He 
is also a member of the Rhode Island Master 
Printers Association. 

FRENCH, Charles Henry, H. D., is now 
one of the leading physicians of Pawtucket. 
He is the son of HenrN- W. and Ainia Maria 
(Ta\lor) French, and was born in Waterbury, 
Conn,, Jan. jy, 1.S59. He received his educa- 
tion in the ]niblic schools of his native town, 
and at the \\'esle\an Academy, Will)raham, 
Ma.ss., then took a medical course at Yale Col- 
lege, and completed his professional studies at 
the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New 
York, from which he was graduated in 1880. 
For the next two years, 1881-2, he was one of the 
resident house physicians in the Charity, now the 
City Hospital, New York city. At the end of 
that period he returned to his native place and 
began the practice of medicine. He met with 
success, and was town physician and health 
officer for several years. While residing and 
practicing in Waterburj- he became one of the 
surgeons of the Connecticut National Guard and 
was a member of the Waterbury Medical Associ- 
ation and of the Connecticut Medical Society. 

March, 1887, he came to Pawtucket, pur- 
chased the practice of another physician, and 
located at 107 and 109 Broadwa\', where he has 
since remained. His practice is of a general 
character, and Dr. French is a " family " phy- 
sician in the best sense. He is genial, kind 
and s\ nijjathetic, and is consequently popular 
with his patients and the public. In his pro- 
fession he stands high, and is a member of the 
Pawtucket Medical Association, the Providence 
Medical As.sociation, the Rhode Island Medical 
As.sociation, the Medico- I.,egal Society of Rhode 
Island, the American Medical As.sociation, and 
of the Association of Military Surgeons of the 
I'niled States. He is lieutenant-colonel and 



medical director of the Ijrigade Rhode Island 
Militia, and previous to his appointment to this 
position .served as surgeon of the ist Battalion 
of Cavalry. He is Medical Examiner of District 
No. 8, Providence county. He belongs to the 
Pawtucket BusinessMen's Association, the T. K. 
Club, the Royal Arcanum, the Odd Fellows, and 
the Rhode Island vSociety of the Sons of the 
American Revolution. He is a trustee of the 
Providence County Savings Bank, is a member 
of the vestrj' of St. Paul's Episcopal church 
and belongs to the Churchmen's Club of Rhode 
Island. June 5, 1884, he was married to Flor- 
ence S. Wells, by which union there are three 
children, one born in Waterbury and two in 
Pawtucket . 

Dr. F'rench traces his descent on his father's 
side from John French, who came from England 
and .settled in Dorchester, Mass., in 1639. On 
his mother's side he is descended from the well 
known Daggett family of Attleboro. Daniel 
Daggett and Ebenezer French, both of whom 
were among his direct ancestors, were revolu- 
tionary soldiers. 

FROST, Albert, the olde,st child of Antipus 
and Polly (Guile) Frost, was born in Walpole, 
Ma.ss., in 1838. He attended the public schools 
of Pawtucket, Smithfield, and Lanesville, Mass., 
until he was fourteen j-ears old and then went 
to work in his father's gri.st mill in Pawtucket, 
where he remained for a number of j-ears. He 
then worked in cotton mills until 1866 when he 
learned to be a box maker. In 1868 he started 
in the manufacture of paper boxes on his own 
account. The business was very small at first 
but by the introduction of improved methods he 
developed it successfully and .steadily. He now 
makes his product on ])atent box-coveriug 
machines, the ])lant has a capacity of from 
3000 to 5000 boxes daily, and consumes 150 
tons of .straw board annually. The factory 
is a three story building on High street, 
Central Falls, 45 by 70 feet in dimensions, and 
the total floor space is 6000 square feet. The 
product is taken chiefly by the thread and 
hosiery factories in Pawtucket and Central 
I'alls. The capital re(iuired to run the Inisi- 
ness is Sio.ooo. 



3i8 



I LLl'STUA'Pi: 1) IlIsroRV Ol- I'AWTl'CKKT. 



Mr. Frost is a Rc])iil)licaii in politics. He 
is a member of the Central Falls liaptist church, 
and bclnngs to Jenks Lodge of Masons. During 
the w ar of the rebellion he was a member of the 
Home C.uard of which Jacob Bunnell was col- 
onel. He has been twice married. His first 
wife was .Susan Ci. Doan, and his second F^lvira 
I'. Chace. 1!\ the first marriage there was one 
daughter, Ida L., who was b. in .Smithfield, 
June 15, 1863. 

FULLER, George H., was born in South 
Attleboro, Mass., in 1832, and received his edu- 
cation in the schools of his native town. When 
about 15 years of age he learned the trade of a 
jeweler. Being of an ingenious turn of mind 
and gifted with business foresight, he originated 
what was practically a new industrs b> the 
invention of machinery for the manufacture ol 
jewelr\- supplies. His jjroductions found a 
read\ sale and he (luickly built up a good 
business. He started in this line in 1858 at 
South Attleboro, but in i860 removed to Paw- 
tucket. The indu.stry gradually assumed large 
])ro])(irtioiis. In 1878 Mr. Fuller admitted his 
son Charles H. to partnership and the firm 
became known as (reorge H. I'uUer iS: .Son. 
Mr. Fuller died June 26, 1S92, and the establish- 
ment is still carried on by the .son under the old 
name. Mr. Fuller was a scion of an old New 
luiglantl faniil>- whose first American ancestor 
came here from England in 16,^6. He was a 
member of the first board of water commis- 
sioners of Pawtucket, was prominent in politics, 
ser\'ed on the school committee, and was inter- 
ested in the general welfare of the communit\ . 

FULLER, Charles Henry, was born in 
South Attleboro, Mass., Sept. 1858, and is the 
only child of Oeorge Henry and Abbie N. (Ide) 
h'uller. He was educated in the ])ublic schools 
of i'awtucket until he was iS years old, and in 
1878 went to work for his father. In his 20th 
year his father admitted him as jjartuer in the 
jewelers' findings business, on ICxchange street, 
Pawtucket, under the firm name of George H. 
Fuller & Son. Beginning in 1880, for a number 
of years he traveled as a salesman and was very 
successful. On the death of his father, June 26, 
1892, he succeeded to the business and has 



since conducted it alone. It is one ul the oldest 
if not the \er\- oldest house in this line in the 
countrx . Mr. l"uller is a Rtimblican. Ik- 
attends the Congregational I'luirch. Max 11. 
1S80, he was married to .Susan !•". Whillaker of 
Philadeljihia, Pa., b> which union then.' are two 
children: Charles W., b. .Ma\- 11, i.s.Sj, and 
Alice G., b. Jan. 22, 1S87. 

QAGNON, Fortunat, M. D., was born in 
Mary\ille, Province of Quebec, Canada, March 
7, 1859, and is the eighth child of Hubert and 
Catherine (Thuot) Gaguou. He was educated 
in the college of his native town. He learned 
the blacksmith trade, but as the opportunities 
for advancement in his own counlrx were lim- 
ited he emigrated to the Tniteil Stales in his 
joth year. He soon .secured emjilov nient at his 
trade in Central F'alls with V . X. I.aniarine, 
with whom he remained until 187',, during 
which time he accumulated sulTicient moiiex to 
enable him to commence the study of medicine. 
F'rom 187;; to 1879 he studied with Dr. Rojielle 
of Providence. In 1884 he returned to Paw- 
tucket, opened a ilrug store in connection with 
(ieorge A. Sullivan, at 17 I{.xchange ])lace, 
which he successfully conductetl until 1895. 
Since then he has devoted his time to his pro- 
fession and has built up a good practice. 

Dr. Gaguou is a Republican. He is an 
active mend)er of the Knights of Pythias and 
the Red Men. Jan. 23, 1883, he was married to 
Eugenie Riopelle of Central Falls, by which 
union there are three children : .\delaide, George 
and Arthur. 

GARBUTT, Irving R., son of John and 
.Vurelia (Hays) Garbutt, was Ijorn in Hartland, 
N. Y., Nov. 15, 1867. lie attended the public 
schools of Hartland until he was 14 years old, 
and then went to the high school at I.ot'kport, 
X. v., until he was iS, when he enteri-d the 
University of Rochester, N. Y., from which he 
was graduated in the class of 1889, when 22 
years old. .Since his graduation he has followed 
the profession of a teacher. In 1895 he became 
principal of the Pawtucket Business College in 
the Pacific Bank building. Here he taught 
math.ematics and all the commercial liranches. 
Mr. Garbutt's own specialt\- was commercial 



R I O G R A PHI n S . 



319 



'aw and IIk- theory and practice of bookkeeping. 
In June. iSyO, he .sold out his interest in the 
business college, and with the beginning of the 
(all term he began as principal of the commer- 
cial department and teacher of mathematics in 
the new Pawtucket high .school. 

Mr. C.arbutt is a Rejiublican. He is a 
meml)er of the I'irst Baptist church, of the Young 
Men's Christian Association of Pawtucket. and 
belongs to the Odd Fellows. 

GARDINER, William E., son of John C 
and Lois \'. (Bradford) (Gardiner, was born in 
Stonington, Conn., Feb. 12, 1S57. His ances- 
tors on his father's side were among the early 
settlers of South King.stown, R. I., and were 
jironiinent in the South County for generations. 
His maternal ancestors were farmers in Westerly, 
Conn. Je)hn C, the father of William E., was 
the engineer of the first engine that went over 
the Providence and Stonington Railroad, and 
worked in that capacity on that road the greater 
part of his life. William E. obtained his educa- 
tion in the schools of Stonington, Conn., and at 
the age of 17 went to work in a wholesale gro- 
cery in New London. Four years later he 
came to Providence and entered the emplo}- of 
B. P\ (iihnore, manufacturer and retailer of 
trunks, with whom he continued six years, be- 
coming an efficient salesman and an adept in the 
manufacture of trunks. He then went to work 
for F. W. Weston, trunk dealer, Pawtucket, in 
1890, and a tew months later he became head 
salesman and assistant manager of the retail 
trunk and general store of A. F. Brow'ne, Paw- 
tucket Loan Co., 245 Main street. Here he has 
earned the confidence of the patrons of the 
store, is popular with all clas.ses of people, and 
under his management the business has been 
very successful. He resides in Providence, and 
was married Dec. 20, 1882, to Mary Burrows 
of West Moreland, N. Y.. daughter of Martin 
Burrows. 

GARDNER, Walter Scott, was born in 
1839 in the town of .Stekonk, Mass., at the 
place which was long known as Ocean Cottage, 
in the present town of Ea.st Providence, R. L, 
where his father owned an extensive estate. He 
was the sixth child of Dr. John.son and Phebe 



Lawton (Sisson) Gardner. His father was for 
many years the leading physician in Pawtucket 
on the North Providence side of the river, and 
owned the house at the northeast corner of Main 
and High streets. This property he purchased 
from Samuel Slater about 1827. Dr. Gardner 
had his office and residence in this structure, 
which is .still standing but is greatly changed, 
at least in outward appearance, from its original 
condition. For tw^enty years Dr. Gardner was 
a representative from Bristol county, Mass., to 
the Ma.ssachu.setts senate. During the war of 
the rebellion he was examiner of recruits in 
Pawtucket and Providence. He was in public 
ser\-ice about 20 years. He died Dec. 12. 1870. 
Dr. Gardner was appointed by Gov. Briggs of 
Massachusetts one of the conmiissioners to settle 
the boundarj' line between Massachusetts and 
Rhode Island about 1S50. He was a mem- 
ber of the governor's council of Massachusetts 
for many years. 

Walter S. attended the pulilic schools of 
Seekonk until he was seven years old. Having 
lo.st the sight of one eye as the result of catar- 
acts on both eyes, he went in 1S54 to the Per- 
kiii's Institution for the Blind, South ]?o.ston, 
where he remained ten years, during which 
jieriod he obtained a first-class education. The 
la.st three years of this time he was a teacher 
and had charge of the work.shop. While at 
this institution he learned various handicrafts, 
among others that of broom making. In 1865 
he returned to Pawtucket and in a shop on 
High street on his father's estate began to 
make brooms to order. He made a success of 
the business and as the years passed it increased 
in volume slowly but surely. In 1890 he built 
his i)resent factory, rear of 54 Warren avenue, 
where he now employs a number of men in the 
manufacture of brooms and brushes. 

Mr. Gardner enlisted in Boston during the 
war of the rebellion, and went on to Washing- 
ton, liut was discharged from the .service on 
account ol his ]ioor eyesight. In politics he is 
a Republican. He belongs to the Knights of 
Pythias. Ma\- ,V'. 1870. he was married to 
ICIleu Muir in Pawtucket, and they have had 
five children, three of whom are now living : 



ILL r ST RAT Id) HISTORY OF PA W T U C K IvT. 



Chirciice E., I'rank A., aiul IIaiT\- A; \'iola, 
d. ahoul iS;;,. 

Mr. Gardiu-r iiilii-iit(.-(l liall of liis latlii-r's 
extensive estaK- in rawliu-kcl, which imiiulL-d 
all the properlN on Ihc cast side of Hi_i;h street 
from the corner of Main to the City Hall. The 
lower part of this estate now belongs to his bro 
ther, Dr. Clarence Gardner of Providence, wliilc 
the upi)er ])ortion is the projierty of Walter S. 

GARVIN. Lucius Fayette Clark, Fl. D., of 
Lonsdale, is one of the Ijest-knowii men in the 
state of Rhode Island. For a score of years, 
besides fulfilling with succe.ss and ability the 
duties of his profession, he has been continuously 
active in jniblic life. He has not, however, 
been an ordinary politician, content to hold 
olTice and manage caucuses, but has con.stantly 
agitated for reforms that would, as he conceived, 
be of public benefit. In doing this even his 
enemies acknowledge that he has manifested 
great persistence, skill and judgment; and, 
although often derided by members of his own 
as well as tho.se of the opposite party, he has 
been the means of carrying through a goodly 
number of reform and other measures. In all 
the stress and irritation occasioned by these 
efforts, and while he has been assailed in the 
jjress, in the legislature, and elsewhere, as a 
crank and agitator. Dr. Garvin has always 
remained the same i[uiet-mannered gentleman. 
He has, after years of abuse, won the respect of 
the entire comniunit\', antl men of all classes 
and parties now recognize his high character 
and acknowledge that he is actuated by the 
most disinterested ]>ublic sj)irit. As a public 
man his career has been an ideal one, and his 
example shows the possibility of maintaining 
purity of life and elevation of character while 
engaged in the struggle of politics. 

The (iar\in family traces its descent from 
James t)ar\in, wlio was born in Vermont, June 
5, 1783, and died in b'.lkhart, Indiana, in 1.S72, 
His son, James Oarxin, Jr., was Ijorn in Bethel, 
Winsor county, \'ermont, in iSutj, died in Knox- 
ville, Tenn,, June 29, 1.S46, was a teacher by 
profession, and at the time of his death was a 
professor in East Tennessee University. He 
was a quiet, dignified gentleman, devoted to the 



cause of education. He married .Sarah .\nn 
("■umi in I'.nlield, Mass., Dec. 5, (■'^.^.i. and tlu-\- 
had two sons: James .\., born in Pikevilli.-, 
Tenn., .Vug. 2S, iSj^j, and Lucius V . C, born 
in Kno.wille, Tenn., No\'. i,^ i.'^4i. .Mrs. 
James (lar\in, Jr,, was born Aug. 26, 1S12, and 
died June 27, iSi^o, in Lonsdale, at her son's 
Imusi.-. She was a woman of cultivated man- 
ners and unusual abilitw .Vfter .Mr. (kuAin's 
death she married again, and had three child- 
ren : Walter Montague, Charles Washington, 
and Loll McConnell. 

L. F. C. (^.arvin fitted (or college at New 
Oarden, a Friend's school, near Green.sboro, 
K. C. I'rom there he went to Amherst college, 
Massachusetts, where he was graduated in his 
2 1 St year in the class of 1862. Soon after, he 
enlisted as a private in Company E of the 51st 
Massachusetts Volunteers, and .served under 
General Foster, who succeeded General Burn- 
side in command of the Federal forces in eastern 
North Carolina. His chief military experience 
was in the expedition to Gold.sboro, N. C, late 
in the year 1862, for the purpose of cutting off 
the communications of Lee's army. He taught 
school in vSunderland, Mass., during his senior 
year in college; in Ware, Mass., after leaving 
college ; and at Leverett, Mass., after his ser- 
vice in the army. He then began the .study of 
medicine with Dr. Sylvanus Clapp of Paw- 
tucket, and continued his education in this line 
at the Harvard Medical school, from which he 
was graduated in the class of 1867. Lie imme- 
diately began the practice of medicine in the 
village of Lonsdale, and for more than a decade 
was the onh- physician in the vicinit\ . His 
practice extended throughout the adjacent vil- 
lages of the Blackstone valley, and he became 
the beloved physician of the country-side. In 
iSj6 he built, in the new village of Lonsdale, 
town of Cumberland, a mansion which is .seated 
in beautiful grounds, opposite the brick tene- 
ments of the \illage. The Catholic Oak is 
within view from his grounds, and the sjiot 
where William Blackstone lived is onl\ two or 
three minutes walk distant. 

Until 1S76 Dr. Garvin was a Re])ul)lican, 
but since then he has acted with the Democrats 



HIOC, k Al'II IKS. 



321 



because he believes in the free trade i)olicy. 
He is now one of the recognized leaders of his 
party. He has represented the town of Cuni- 
liLihuul ten times in the General Assembly, 
having first been elected to fill a vacancy in the 
house in 1883, reelected the same year, and 
elected in 1885, 1886, 1887, 1893, and 1895, and 
as senator in 1SS9, 1S90 and 1891. During 
these years he was the principal advocate in the 
assembly of reform legislation. The passage of 
the ten hour and the ballot reform laws, of the 
Bourn amendment for the extension of the 
suffrage to foreign-born citizens, of the bill 
establishing the bureau of industrial statistics, 
and of the acts for factory inspection and plural- 
ity elections all found in him a strong and 
persistent supporter. In the contest for the 
extension of the suffrage he was for many years 
the leader both in the legislature and in the 
community, and to his exertions more than 
those of any other man was the success of the 
movement finally due. He was the candidate 
for congress of the Democratic party in the sec- 
ond congressional district in 1894 and 1896, but 
was not elected. 

Dr. C.arvin stands high in his jirofession. 
He is a member of the Rhode Island Medical 
Society and of the Providence Medical Associa- 
tion. He belongs to Ballon Post, Grand Army 
of the Republic, is a member of the Royal 
Arcanum, and of the Municipal League of 
Providence. In religion he is a liberal. For 
y^ears he was a member of the Free Religions 
Society of Providence, and is now one of the Bell 
Street Chapel Society, Providence, of which the 
Rev. Anna Garlin Spencer is the minister. He 
was married Dec. 23, 1869, to Lucy \V. South- 
wayd, at Middletown, Conn., who was a gradu- 
ate of the Woman's Medical College of Boston, 
Mass., and previous to her marriage was resident 
physician at Mount Holyoke Seminary, Holy- 
oke, Mass. They have three daughters : Ethel, 
b. Dec. 19, 1871 ; Norma, b. April 19, 1874; 
and Florence, b. Feb. 27, 1S76. 

OATCHELL, Frank Lincoln, was born in 
Mendon, Mass.. Feb. 23, 1S61. and was the 
first born of James Lawrence and Mar\- I'iliza- 
belh (J(ines) Cratchell. His father lia; been for 



many years overseer in the braid mill of D. Goff 
&. vSons. The Gatchell family originated in 
luigland and innnigrated to Marblehead in 
early colonial times. Frank L. attended the 
public schools of Pawtncket. and was graduated 
from the high school in 1878. Soon after he 
went to work as clerk for Wilbur & Tingley, 
proprietors of the Pawtncket fionr mills. Here 
he continued nearly three years, at the end of 
which time he had been advanced to the position 
of assistant bookkeeper. He then became book- 
keeper for Peleg B. Wilbur, flour and grain 
dealer. Central Falls, in which .situation he 
remained over two years. Having achieved a 
reputation for accuracy and reliability, in July, 
1883, he entered the Pacific National Bank as a 
bookkeeper, and was in the cour.se of time 
promoted to his present position of paying 
teller. Mr. Gatchell has the handling of mil- 
lions of dollars, and implicit confidence is 
reposed in him by the directors. He is genial 
and pleasing in his manner, and holds the 
esteem and friendship of the ])atrons of the 
bank. In politics he is a Republican, and was 
clerk of the Common Council of Pawtncket 
from 1892 to 1S94. He is a member of the 
First Baptist church and belongs to the Ancient 
Order of United Workmen, Lodge No. i, Paw- 
tncket. Oct. 7, 1885, he was married to Sarah 
Patience Merrill, and they have two children : 
Ruth Merrill, b. July, 1892 ; and Raymond 
Walker, b. July, 1894. 

GATES, George C, the first child of John 
and Elizabeth (Carter) Gates, was born in Nor- 
folk county, England. His early education was 
meagre, and at the age of nine he began work 
on a farm. When eleven years of age he became 
an ai)]nentice in the shop of his father, who was 
a manufacturer of shoes and a dealer in leather 
and shoe findings. At 18 he was given charge 
iif the shop, and remained in that position until 
he was 20 years of age, after which for several 
>ears he was employed in the shoe districts of 
Northampton and Lincolnshire. He then de- 
cided to come to America and arrived in New 
York Dec. 28, 1851, after a voyage of 72 days. 
He first went to Randoljih. Mass., and worked 
at the shoe business there and in Taunton, 



iii 



iLLUv'^TRATKI) 11 IS TORY OF P AWTUC K ICT. 



Mass., aiul Piovidciice, K. I. June, 1S52, he 
came l<i Pawtucket and secnrcd eniplox nient 
with Pelcr Warren. February, 1SS3, he pur- 
chased Mr. Warren's business and began the 
manufacture of a fine grade of custom slioes in 
the old Car])euter 1)nilding, on the spot where 
the Lee block now stands. After several 
changes, necessitated b\ the increase in busi- 
ness, he finally, in 1.S66, located at 224 Main 
street, where in 186S, in connection with 1". 15. 
Woodward, he began the numulaclure of boots 
and shoes under the firm name of Gates & Wood- 
wanl. 'IMic venture did not prove profitable, 
anil the firm was dissohed in iSjo, hut Mr. 
Gates cvtntinued the manu- 
facture of custom lioots and 
shoes on his own account, and 
in 1880 he added a depart 
ment for the sale of leather 
and shoe findings. The busi 
ne.ss has been successful, and 
to-da\- he is doing a large 
amount of high grade fine 
cu.stom work. 

In politics Mr. Gates is 
a Republican and takes an 
active interest in pulilic af- 
fairs, especially in all matters 
relating to education, and is 
a staunch .supporter of the 
present system of public 
schools. He was elected to 
the city council of i8g6 from 
the third ward. He is acti\el\- intere.sted 
in fraternal circles, and is a prominent mem- 
ber of the Temple of Honor and the Knights 
of Pythias. In the latter order he has oc- 
cupied the highest positions in the state of 
Rhode Island, and was Grand Chancellor in 
1893. He is treasurer of the Pawtucket Veteran 
Firemen's Association. He is a member of 
Trinity F^pi.scopal church and one of its ve.stry. 
July, 1854, he was married to Ivlizabeth Mcl)i\-it 
of Pawtnckc-l, b>- wliich union there are four 
children; John 11., George A., IIenr\ and 
Elizabeth. His wife died in 1870, and in ( )clu- 
ber, 1882, he was married to Debora .M . .\Im\ 
Kelley of Pawtucket, wlio died in iSyo. 




ISAAC GILL 

SECOND WARD, 



CiERMAIN, Peter, was born in ,St. Judes, 
Ouel)ec, Canada. March 18, 1850, and is the 
fourth child of Augustine and Sophie (Garreau) 
Germain. lie went to scliool until he was 16 
vears old, and then worked on his father's farm 
for a year. He came to the I'nited States in 
1877 and secured a position in a grain and feed 
store at Douglas, Mass., which he held for two 
years. He then moved to .Manchaug, Mass., 
and started a livery stable, which he coiulucled 
with success for eleven years. He sold out his 
stable in 1890, and esta])lished a hotel in Harris- 
\-iIle, R. I. Recei\ing a profitable offer for its 
])urchase in 1843 he disjiosed ol it. came to Cen- 
tral h'alls in iSm4, :ind (i])ened 
tile largest and finest hotel in 
tliat cit> , the Linciihi I louse, 
at 4.S'i and 4S,S P,niad street, 
which lie continued to con- 
duct until iSc/i. 

Mr. Germain is an active 
Re])ul)lican. He is a mem- 
ber III the Foresters and 
Sheiiherds. A]iril 15 1S71, 
he A\as married to Melvina 
Clare, of Chamhlx-, P. Q., 
Canada, b\- which union there 
are three children : Mary, 
V). Feb. 22, 1876 ; Peter, b. 
Jan. 15, [873, and Jose])h, 
b. Oct. 13, 1879. 

GILL, Isaac, the present 
efficient engineer for the 
I)unnell Manufat'luring Company, was born in 
1.S30 and In of vSeotch-lMiglish parentage. His 
father, Isaac Gill, vSr., was born in Manchester, 
Fngland, in 1.S17, and emigrated to Newjiort. 
R. I., in 1842. There he became aci|uainled 
with liis future wife, Agnes iMances, who was 
born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 182 1, and had 
been brought to America by her jxirents when 
a N'oung child. Shorllv after their marriage, 
gold was discovered in California, and the vonng 
husband, like man\- others, decided lo li\ his 
fortune in the F'ar West. .Vccordinglx he became 
one of the earliest " fort\ -niners " who entered 
California. Me remained in the West 15 <ir \h 
vears, at the end ol which time he i\turne<l to 



Bloc, k A I'll IKS. 



.125 



his InniKT lioiiK- in N(.'U])()rl, K. I., wlieif 1il- 
ieniaiiK-(l till tlif daU' of his dealh in iSScj. 

Isaac, lliL- son, was L-iiui-ati.'il in the inihlic 
schools of Nc\\]>ort np to his 13th Near, At the 
end of that time, his father lieint;" far a\va\' from 
his faniil\ , circninstances denianded that he 
should seek eiui)loynient. Accortlin^ly he was 
eniploxed 1)\- Caswell, Mark \; Co., a drni;- 
firm of Newport, for whom he workeil four 
\ears. .\l the ai;e ol 17 he came to I'awlnckel 
and went to wt)rk lor Cole Hros., steam fire en- 
gine builders, where he remained for eight years. 
In i.s-6 he was em])loyed l)y the Dunnell Mann- 
factnring Co. as engineer, with which concern he 
yet remains. Mr. t'.ill has ever been a .stead\-, 
.straightforward, sincere and consistent work 
man. He is a man of sound judgment and good 
business policy as is evidenced b\' the number 
of years he has represented his ward in the city 
council. He was elected a member of the town 
council of 1885 by the Democrats, with whom he 
always affiliates. He represented the second 
ward in the city council from 1886 to 1888 inclu- 
sive, and again in i8g5 and 1896. Aside fnnu 
his business and official duties he is a man of 
fraternal and kindly spirit, as is shown li\ the 
distinction he has achieved amongst his fellow 
Free Masons, in which order he has long been a 
member. Mr. Ciill has in his possession four 
tokens of golil bestowed on him at different 
times b>' the Masonic order. He is past master 
of Union Lodge; past high priest Pawtucket 
Royal Arch Chapter ; past commander Holy 
Sepulchre Comniandery ; pa.st grand T. I. M. 
grand council of Rhode Island. It is in Masonry 
that Mr. Gill finds his chief interest, and his 
career among his brethren best shows in what 
way that interest is received. He is one of the 
board of directors of the Masonic Temple Co., 
which is empowered by the Order to execute all 
plans necessary for the erection of the new Ma- 
sonic hall on High street. 

In bygone days Mr. Gill was an ardent 
member of the Pawtucket Boat Club, and luilled 
an oar in the crew which created so nineh en- 
thusiasm and received such praise in those 
races that used to stir the cit\' from centre to 
circumference with exeitemeiil and anticiiiation. 



In 1S91 he was married to Annie Macklin, of 
Pawtucket. They have one boy, Isaac, who is 
now in his fourth year. Their home is at 18 
Pond street. 

GLANCY, Charles Augustine, M. D., the 
fourth child of Patrick and Bridget (Reynolds) 
Glancy, was born in Smithfield, R. I., Jan. 2, 
1858. He attended the public schools until he 
was 12 years old. In 1870 he went to work in 
one of the mills of the Lonsdale Co., continued 
there for three years, then worked in \'alley 
I'alls and for the Conant Thread Co., and 
afterwards tor the .American Kile Co. In 1879 
he again entered the employ of the Conant 
Thread Co. in another dei)artment. P'actory 
work was uncongenial to him, and he decided 
to stud\- in order to ])repare himself for the 
medical profession. For three \ears he studied 
pharmacy with Stephen L. Talbot, Ph. (L, of 
Providence. In 1885 he passed the state board 
examination and was registered as a pharmacist. 
He continued with Mr. Talbot until his tleath 
in 18S5. He then devoted him.self to his profes- 
sion in some of the large.st drug houses in the 
ITnited States : in Providence with Howe & 
Carr, successors to Mr. Talbot ; in Brooklyn, X. 
v., with John B. Winter; in Brattleboro, \'t., 
with George A. Briggs & Co. Returning to 
Providence he worked for William H. Hinds 
and .\. W. Kenner, Jr., after which he was 
appointed resident apothecary to the Rhode 
Island Hospital. May 4, 1887, he passed the 
board of pharmacy of Ma.ssachusetts. He came 
to Pawtucket in 1889 and opened a drug store 
at 67 Park .street. The business was successful 
from the .start and afforded him the opportunity 
of accomplishing the ambition of his life. In 
1 89 1 he entered the College of Physicians and 
Surgeons of Baltimore, Md., studied there until 
the fall of 1893, when he entered Baltimore Med- 
ical College, from which he was graduated April 
1 7, 1894, with the degree of M.D. Thus after 24 
years of unceasing struggle, without other aid than 
that afforded by his own labor and indefatigable 
energy, he accomplished the purpose of his life. 
Nov. 29, 1888, he was married to Anna E. Duffy 
of Ballardvale, Mass,, by which union there is 
one child, Wendell Joseph, b. March 27, 1895. 



324 



I I.LUSTR A'ri'.I) HISTORY Ol" TAW T U C K 1",T. 



GOODING, William H., son ..I !knr> ami 
Clarissa (Tingley) Goodiui?, and the oldest of 
a family of seven, was born in vSniithfield, now- 
Central Falls, Oct. 6, i8;,4. I'ntil hf was iS 
years old he went to school in his native place. 
He then ser\-ed his time to the trade of a 
machinist, at which occupation he worked for a 
number of years, when he engaged in mercantile 
business. In 1S73 he became town clerk of 
Lincoln and lul<l the office until iSSy. For a 
number of years he was overseer of the poor, 
and also .served as assessor of taxes. Since 
1889 he has been a real estate broker and 
auctioneer, and has had the care and settlement 
of man}- estates. He is also treasurer of the 
Home Building Co., of Pawtucket. In politics 
he has alwajs been a Republican, and all the 
public offices he has held have been obtained as 
the regular nominee of his part}-, for which he 
has always worked earnestly. Mr. (iooding 
belongs to the Knights of Pythias and the Odd 
Fellows. He ha.s been married twice. His 
first wife was Josephine H. Smith, to whom he 
was married in 1870, and by this union there 
were three children: Mabel H., b. in Smithfield, 
Maj-, 1871 ; Edith Gertrude, b. in Lincoln, Jan. 
1875; William F., b. Jan. 1879. To his second 
wife, Lydia J. Wood, he was married in 1887. 

Mr. Gooding's first American ancestor came 
to this countrj- in 1760. For generations the 
Goodings have been numerous in Freetown, 
Ma.ss., and other towns of the Old Colony. 

QOFF, Darius, was for many years one of 
the foremost manufacturers in the United States, 
and he bore a leading and very conspicuous 
part in the modern industrial development of 
Pawtucket. He was a man of great energ\-, 
s])kn(li(l executive ability, indomitable perse- 
verance, great business foresight, and had the 
rare faculty of " bringing things to pass " on a 
large scale and in accordance with well-thought- 
out plans. He was born in Rehoboth, Mass., 
May 10, 1809, died in Pawtucket, R. I., April 
14, 1891, and was the youngest son of Lieuten- 
ant Richard and Mehitable (HuUock) Goff. 

The Goffs trace their descent to Richartl 
Goff, one of the first settlers of the Old Colon> 
and an earlv inhalntant of Rehoboth. The sun 



(if Rirhard was Joseph, Imrn in Rcliiihnlli in 
iSj.(. who was married to Palience Tlmilni, 
and the\' li\'ed together se\-enty \ears ami had 
a family of fourteen children. One uf their sons 
Richard, the father of Darius, became a pioneer 
nianulactiirer in the latter part ol the last cen- 
tury. In the early historv of Rehoboth, as <>i 
the country before the intro(hution of cotton 
spinning by .Samuel .Slater, the carding, spin- 
ning and weaving of woolen cloth was done in 
private houses and by hand : but these fabrics 
were too thin for winter wear. To reniedx this 
defect Richard Goff in ij^y^ built a fidling and 
dressing-mill and furnished it with the best 
machinery then known. He then received the 
woolen cloth from the farmers and prepared it 
for use. The cloth was first well rubbed with 
soap then immersed in water and subjected to 
pounding and pidling for several hours. It was 
next rinsed and colored, then rinsed again and 
put upon the tenter bars to be stretched and 
dried, after which it was run over a frame-work 
and carded with a hand card in order to raise a 
nap. The cloth was next folded, paper card 
boards being placed between each fold, and put 
into a hand press with iron plates between each 
piece. The goods usually remained in this 
press from twelve to fifteen hours, when they 
were removed, jnit into rolls and returned to 
the owners. 

At an earl\- age Darius Goff went into his 
father's mill to help and learn the processes 
described. His father continued the business 
uiUil 1 82 1 when such great improvements had 
been made in machinery as to supersede the 
hand loom and all other haml machinery in 
finishing woolen goods. In i.SoS a company 
formed in Rehoboth, styled the Union Cotton 
Manufacturing Co., built a small mill and com- 
menced making cotton yarn. Tlic elder Goff 
was one of the proprietors, and did the coloring 
for the company. Darius s]ient four or ll\-e 
years in the coloring department antl in the 
variety store connected with the mill and at 17 
years of age in 1S26 he engaged with John and 
Jesse liddy of Fall River to learn the woolen 
business. On returning from F'all Ri\er he nut 
with a serious accident which disabled him from 



HIOGRAPHIEvS. 



325 



doing business for two years. In 1S2S he 
secured employment as a clerk in a grocery 
store in Providence, where he remained about 
three years. He then engaged with Tillinghast 
Aim}- in the grocery and provision trade, in 
which he continued aliout three years. This 
venture not proving successful he returned to 
Rehoboth and in connection with his lirolher 
purchased the Union Cotton mill, which had 
long been idle, for $4,000. In this small mill 
about I1S36 they commenced the manufacture of 
cotton batting. This business continued profit- 
able until 1S37. At that time they had on 
hand a large amount of goods for which there 
was no sale, as well as a quantity of raw material. 
In order to realize something they shipped some 
of the goods to the West, and Darius accom- 
panied them as salesman. In a few years the 
brothers succeeded in paying for the mill. At 
first they made wadding after the old batting 
process, but this proved imperfect and slow. In 
1S40 they bought eight cards and placed them 
in front of each other a foot higher than usual 
from the floor. These made a continuous apron, 
three feet wide, the surface of which ran at the 
same speed as the surface of the doffers of the 
cards. The eight slivers of cotton falling on this 
endless apron made the required thickness of the 
sheet wadding. The web of cotton thus formed 
left the endless apron at one end of the row of 
cards and was then run over a thin sizing and both 
sides of the sheet were sized by one operation. 
The process was entirely- new and is now 
nearl\- in universal use in wadding and batting 
mills. But to make a colored wadding the firm 
was obliged to color and drj- the cotton before 
it went to the machine and Mr. Goff determined 
to invent some method by which the process 
could be accomplished in the same operation. 
This he thought could be done by first carding 
the raw material and then coloring, sizing and 
drying it in one continuous length. He enlarged 
the mill and procured the needed machinery 
but it had just got fairly to work when it was 
burned. 

Mr. (ioff gave his attention now more especi- 
alh' to the cotton waste business in which he 
had been emjasjed from the conuncncement of 



the batting enterprise in 1S36, at which lime he 
made a contract for one year with the^Lonsdale 
Co., for the various kinds of wastes made at 
their mills. This contract has been continued 
to the present time. Before 1836 the refuse of 
cotton mills was thrown away as useless. The 
waste business afterwards so largely increased, 
howe\er, that Mr. Goff thought it wise to take 
a partner and establish him.self near the center 
of paper manufacturing districts. In 1846, there- 
fore, he formed a partnership with George Lawton 
of Waltham, Mass., and transferred the busi- 
ness to Crray's wharf in Bo.ston and about the 
same time he removed his residence to Paw- 
tucket, R. I. In 1847 Goff & Lawton bought a 
tract of laud near the railroad in Pawtucket, 
upon which they built a wadding mill. They 
then purchased a large engine, made by Thurs- 
ton Gardiner of Providence, and commenced 
making wadding on the plan Mr. (ioff had 
nearh- perfected in his mills at Rehoboth but in 
atteniping to dry the sheets of colored wadding 
on copper cylinders heated by .steam he met with 
difficulties and finally the cylinders exj)loded. 

The cotton waste business of the firm had 
then increased to such an extent, that Mr. Goff 
devoted himself exclusively to it. The con- 
tracts for waste soou embraced nearly all the 
large mills and many of the smaller ones through- 
out New England. The firm then leased the 
wadding mill at Pawtucket for five years to 
Henry Turner and several others, but before the 
lease expired Mr. Turner died and Goff & Lawton 
resumed the manufacture on their own account. 
The mill was soon after nearly destroyed by fire 
but the firm rebuilt it on a larger scale and com- 
menced the wadding manufacture in connection 
with their wa.ste and paper stock business in 
Boston. The partnership was di.ssolved in 1859. 
Mr. Lawton taking the Boston part and Mr. 
Goff the Pawtucket mills. Mr. Goff then asso- 
ciated himself with John D. Cran.ston and 
Stephen Brownell of Providence under the name 
of Goff, Cranston & Brownell, to do a general 
waste and paper stock business, .selling his part- 
ners an interest in the mill, and Henry A. 
Stearns was engaged as superintendent, Mr. 
Goff having sold him an interest. The drying 



326 



ILLUSTRATI'D HISTORY OF P AWTUC K I'tT. 



of coUoii by co])p(.-i- stoaiii cylinders was resunied, 
was siicccssfiil ;iii(l has been continued ever 
since. In 1871 the mill was burned, entailing 
a loss of $150,000, and was only insured for 
$75,000. The firm built a new mill with new 
machinery throughoul. The buildings, with 
the additions since made, now cover nearly 
three acres. 

The firm became an incnr])<iraled company 
in 1870 under the old name, with a capital of 
$200,000 which was soon increased to $300,000, 
all held by Darius Goff, Jnhn 1). Cranston, 
Stephen Brownell and Henry A. .Stearns. The 
officers of the company were Darius Goff, presi- 
dent ; Ste])hcn Hrnwnell. treasurer ; and Henry 
A. Stearns, sni)erintendent. In 1S79 the name 
was chauLied Irom Goff, Cranston & Brownell 
to the Union Wadding Co., under which title 
the business has since been conducted. At that 
time the capital stock was increased to $500,000, 
antl a \ear or two later to $1,000,000. Upon 
the dissolution ol the old firm in 1879 the inter- 
ests in the Union Wadding Co. held by Messrs. 
Cranston and lirownell were purchased by Mr. 
Goff and his son Uyman H., and the majority of 
the stock to-day is held by the Goff family. The 
present officers are Lyman B. Goff, president ; 
Henry A. Stearns, vice-president; George M. 
Thornton, treasurer. The company now oper- 
ates mills in Augusta, Ga., and does a larger 
waste business in this country and Eurojie than 
any other firm or corporation engaged in a 
similar business. 

In 1.S61 Mr. Goff, his son Darius L., W. 
F. Sayles and F. C. Sayles began the manu- 
facture of worsted braids under the name 
of the American Worsted Co. In 1.S64 the 
partnership was dissolved, but Mr. Goff and 
his son continued the business under the 
name of D. Goff & .Son. In 1.S72 the vonnger 
son, Lyman B., was admitted to the firm, the 
name being changed to D. Goff & Sons. In 
iS,S4 a charter was obtained under the same 
name with an authorized capital of $600,000, 
and the officers were Darius Goff, president, 
and l>. L. Goff, treasurer. In 1881 the firm 
began the manufacture of mohair plush for car- 
seating and upholstery purposes, and built a 



new mill adjoining the braid mill (or that 
])ur])ose. 

Mr. Goff was acti\'e in business until just 
before his death, .\])ril 14. iSc^i, in his ,S2d 
year. He was a belie\er in home industries, as 
was evidenced by the many establishments man- 
aged and successfully conducted by him. He 
was one of the original directors of the Paw- 
tucket Gas Co., the Pawtucket .Street Railway 
Co., the Pawtucket Hair Cloth Co., and the 
Royal Weaving Co. He was also a director of 
the Franklin Savings Bank and of the First 
National Bank. He sen-ed repeatedly in the 
town council of Pawtucket, and in 1S71 he was 
elected state senator. From 1S4S Mr. tloff was 
identified with the Pawtucket Congregational 
church, and from [856 was a prominent and 
active mend)er of that religious organization, 
contributing most liberally for its support and 
its numerous allied interests, at one time sub 
scribing $10,000 in liquidation of the church 
debt. He gave frcel>- of his means for home 
and foreign missions: his public gifts were 
widel}- known and appreciated, and his life was 
replete with deeds of l)ene\-olence and (|uiet acts 
of every-day charity. 

To within a brief period of his death, Mr, 
(ioff retained in a remarkable degree the full 
exercise of his mental faculties and plnsical 
activitx'. With unrelaxed interest he \isited 
his mills, gave close attention to the work in 
hand and the methods employed, and in an 
advisory way he was to the la.st the means of 
effecting more or less salutary changes and 
improN'ements. On his decease the city of 
Pawtucket, through her journals, societies and 
official boards made grateful acknowledgment 
of its indebtedness to him for his instrumentality 
in making it first among the textile manufactur- 
ing centres of the Ihiited States, relative to its 
population ; and for his activity in the jMomo- 
tion of every undertaking for the advancement 
of its business, educational, social and religions 
interests. The National Association of Wool 
Manufacturers, of which \k- had long lieen an 
active member, at a meeting luld in P.oston 
paid earnest tribute to him for his " jireeminent 
services in the diversification and extension of 



HIOC, RAPiriEvS. 



,^27 



the wool iimiuifacture, to his hiyli character as 
a man, his large public spirit, his conscientious 
discharge of every obligation to society, and the 
earnest devotion to principle 1)\ which his life 
and actions were governed." 

Holding in affectionate regard the place of 
his birth and its early associations, in 1S84 Mr. 
(loff purchased and ga\-e to the town of Reho- 
both, as a site for a Memorial Hall, the old 
homestead estate which had been in the faniil\- 
since 17 14. The old (ioff Inn, one of the noted 
hostelries of colonial days, still remained , and 
the spot occupied b\' it was chosen by him for 
the place of the Hall. Under his auspices, 
with liberal aid from the townspeople, a fine 
edifice was erected, containing schoolrooms, a 
lecture hall, a library, and an antiquarian 
room, in which are interestingly exhibited the 
primitive hand implements of the early days 
used in the textile arts. The building was 
dedicated as the Goff Memorial Hall on May 
10, 1S.S6, the 77tli anniversary of the birth of 
Mr. Goff, and the 240th ainiiversary of the 
deliver)- of the deeds of the old town by 
Massasoit to the English. 

In May, 1839, Mr. Goff was married to Sarah 
Lee, a daughter of Israel I^ee, of Dighton, 
Mass. Of the companionship of this wife he 
was early bereft bj- her death, and her onl\- 
child also died. He was afterwards married to 
Harriet Lee, a sister of his former wife; and 
the children Ijy this marriage are : Darius L., 
Lyman B., and Sarah C, wife of Thomas 
vSedwick .Steele of Hartford, Connecticut. 

QOFF, Darius Lee, the oldest .son of Darius 
and Sarah (Lee) Goff, was born in Rehoboth vil- 
lage, Ma.ss., March 20, 1840. He received his 
early education in Pawtucket, where his father 
removed in 1847, and entered Brown Universitx- 
in 1858, from which inslituticm he was graduated 
in 1862. 

The same \ear the American Worsted Co. 
was formed for the manufacture of worsted 
braid and yarns, an entireh- new industry in this 
c<)untr\-. The partners in this enterprise were 
Darius Goff, Darius L. Goff, W. ]•. Sayles and 
F. C. >Sa>les, each jiartner hav'ing an ecpuil 
interest and 1). L. Goff was made atjent of llie 



compauN-. A room was secured on the up])er 
tliior of the William H. Haskell machine shop 
and the Inisiness was begun in small way with 
ten braiding machines. Soon after starting, the 
concern was burned out and the industry was 
llien remoNcd to the old .Schroeder printworks 
pni])ert\- in .Smithlield, at that time unoccupied 
and owned 1)\- William F. Sayles. Here the 
business was enlarged by the importation of 
worsted spinning machinery and the emplo\'- 
ment of linglish overseers. In iS64the concern 
was dissolved and the machinery and stock 
e(jually divided between the Goffs and vSayles. 
The Sayles continued the business at the same 
place under the name of the Union Worsted Co., 
while the Goffs removed to Pawtucket and set 
n\^ their machinery in the old Stone Mill (built 
in 1 813) on the east side of the Hlackstone 
river just below the lower dam, and began busi- 
ness under the firm name of D. Goff & Son. In 
1867 the Morrill tariff bill became a law. This 
gave a special protection to all wor.sted industries 
in their infancy and such was the increase in the 
braid business that the old Stone Mill was 
found too small and a large modern brick mill 
was erected just south of it. In 1877 Darius L. 
originated the idea of putting braids up on rolls 
and fastening the end with a wire clasp. He 
obtained a patent and the new method became 
a great success. In 1881 the manufacture of 
mohair plush, for car seats and furniture pur- 
poses, was begun and after years of experiment- 
ing a product was turned out ecpial in every 
respect to the best French makes. In 1S72 
Lyman P.., the ytninger son, was admitted to 
the firm, and in 1884 the business was incorpor- 
atetl under the name of D. Goff & Sons, with 
Darius Goff, president and D. L. (ioff, treasurer. 
I'rom the beginning in 1862 to the present 
time Darius L. has devoted his time to the.se 
mills, and much of their success is due to the able 
maimer in which he .seconded his father's efforts, 
and also to the fact that he himself constantly 
suggested improvements in methods of manu- 
facture and administration. .Since the death of 
his father in 1891, at the age of 82 years, he 
has been president and treasurer of the company. 
He is interested in a ninnber of other im])orlant 



32S 



I 1,1, r ST RAT I'D HISTORY O 1* I'A \V T U C K IvT. 



local industries ; is president of the Royal 
Weavintj Co., the HIair Canieia Co.. and the 
I'awtuoket ICIeetric Co., and a diieetor in the 
Pawtucket Gas Co., tlie rnion W'aildint; Co., 
the Kir.st National liauk, and .Swan Point 
Cemetery Corporation of Providenie. 

He was married Oct. isri6, to .\nnie K. 
Pitcher, who died Dec. tS6ij. He was married 
again Nov. i.SS;^, to .\nnii- I.nther, wlio died 
Feb. 1890. By the latter unicm there were two 
children, Harriet T,ee, born March ly, i,S.S6, 
and Darius, liorn Jan. 24, 1.S90. 

QOFF, Lyman B., the second sou of Darius 
and Harriet (Lee) Cioff, was horn in Reholioth, 
Mass., Oct. 19, 1S41. and has resided in 
Pawtucket since 1S47. He was educated in 
the grammar .lud hi,i;h schools of Pawtucket 
and was graduated from Hrown University in 
the class of 1.S62. While returning from a 
hunting trip through tlK- h'ar West in the fall of 
that _\-ear, the Sioux war hroke out, and he 
served during its conliunance in h'ort .Vherconr 
l)ie, Dakota. I'or several years subsequently 
he was in the employ of D. (5off & Son as sales- 
man, and in iSj2 was admitted to the firm as an 
equal ]>artner. the style of the house being then 
changed to 1). (/off & Sons. 

For many years he took an active interest 
in the militia, and at one time was lieutenant- 
colonel in command of all the light artillery in 
the state. Politically he has always been a 
Republican, and has sen-ed a number of times 
as a re])reseutative to the General Assendily 
from Pawtucket. He was chosen a presidential 
elector in i<S88 and voted for Benjamin Harri- 
son. In 1 89 1 he was unanimously nominated 
by the Republican .state convention for lieuten- 
ant-governor, but declined to accept the honor. 
As a member of the World's Columbian ICxposi- 
tion, being one of the National Commissioners 
from the .State of Rhode Island, he served on the 
Committees on Classification, Conunerce and 
Machinery. He was chosen for a third time 
president of the Pawtucket Business Men's A.s.so- 
ciation at the annual election held Jan. 14, 1896. 

In 18S0 Mr. Goff became treasurer of the 
Union Wadding Conipan\- in Pawtucket. the 
largest concern of its kind in the world, his 



father and himself owning a controlling interest 
thcriMn. I'lxin the death of his lather he was 
elected its ])resident. This company, which is 
ca])itali/.etl at 5i>i ,000,000, has also extensive 
interests in Augusta, Ga., and at other business 
centres in the South. Mr. Goff is largely inter- 
ested in manufacturing plants in New Jersey 
and Canatla ; is also president of the h^xcelsior 
Quilting Company, of New York, with a ca])ital 
of 5200,000 and branches in Chicago ; and holds 
thesame position in a nund)er of smaller indus- 
tries in his own state. He is a director of the 
First National I'.ank of Pawtucket, and the 
Rhode Island Hospital Trust Conii>an\-, the 
largest financial institution in the state ; is \-ice- 
yiresidenl iil the Pawtucket Street Railway Co., 
one of the l)rauches of the T'nion Traction Com- 
])au\-, the great corporation which now ojierates 
all the street railways in this \icinity ; a director 
in the Interstate Consolidated Street Railway 
Co., and also in many of the manufacturing 
corporations of the state. 

Following out the work begun by their 
father, Lyman and his brother Darius L- secured 
by ]>urchase all the land and water rights on the 
lower dam at Pawtucket, made great improve- 
ments, built a power house and utilized the 
water power for the generation ol electricity. 
Finally this i)ortion of their property was 
organized and incorporated as the Pawtucket 
lUectric Co., in which the brothers own a con- 
trolling interest. A full account of this matter 
is given in the eighth chapter. 

Mr. Goff was married to Alniira, daughter of 
Jesse Thornton, Dec. 14, 1864, and by this union 
there are two children, Lynian Thornton Goff 
and l':iizabeth Lee Goff. 

(lOLDSniTH, William H., the son of Ovid 
and Catharine Goldsmith, was born in .Stock- 
])i)rt, X. Y., Now i(\ 1.S45. He went to school 
in Stuyvesant halls, N. Y., until he was sixteen 
>ears old, when he worked in a cotton mill for a 
\ear. He then assisted his father on the home 
farm for another year. In iSo^, he joined the 
I'lth N. Y. Heavy .\rtillery and served until 
the close of the civil war, taking part in many 
of the great battles of that conflict. I']ion 
receiving an honorable discharge, Aug. 7, 1865, 



BIOGRAl'HIES. 



329 



he WL-ul to work in a cotton mill at Chicopee 
Falls, Mass., after tlircL' years was promoted to 
be overseer, and held a like position in several 
large mills in Webster, h'all River, Mass., and 
Herkelex', R. I. Being of an inventive turn of 
mind he devised improvements and invented 
new machines, and finally connected himself 
with the Atherton Machine Co. of I'awtucket, 
and commenced the manufacture of the now 
celebrated Goldsmith Thread Extractor, a 
machine which is used all over the world. In 
1895 he organized a company for the manufacture 
of his " Drawing Roll," which was incorporated 
uuvler the name of the Pawtucket Metallic 
Drawing Roll Co., and he was elected president, 
which position he now holds. 

Politically Mr. Goldsmith is a Republican. 
He is a mendjer of Godfrey DeBouillion Com- 
mandery, Knights Templars, and of Richard 
Borden Post, G. A. R., both of Fall River, Mass. 
June 13, 1869, he was married to Lillias M. 
Marshall of Holyoke, Mass., b}- which union 
there are five children; Lillie M., Mabel B., 
William H., Jr., George H., and Phebe C. 

GOODRICH, Rev. Massena, was born in 
Portsmouth, N. H., on vSept., 15, 1819, and 
was the son of Col. John Goodrich. He attended 
the public schools of his native town from the 
time he was five years of age till he was seven- 
teen. In the high school he acquired some 
knowledge of Greek and Latin, but was com- 
pelled to leave school on account of a grave 
inflannnation in his eyes. For four years there- 
after he was employed in mercantile pursuits. 
As his ej-es had improved, however, he deter- 
mined in 1840 to prepared for the Christian 
ministry. As the denomination to which he 
belonged had neither a college nor a theological 
school, he was compelled to master Helirew, and 
attained great proficiency in Greek by indepen- 
dent exertions. Dr. Hosea Ballon, the first 
president of Tufts College, had marked out a 
course of theological study, and to this Mr. 
Goodrich devoted over three \ears. Beside 
this he taught school for ten months. Late in 
1844, however, he accepted an im-itation from 
the First Universalist parish in Haverhill, 
Mass. There he remained four \ears and a 




REV. MASSENA GOODRICH, 

half. Removing thence to East Cand)ridge, 
Mass., he resided there three years and a half. 
At the expiration of that period he became pas- 
tor of the l'niversali.st church at Lewiston Falls, 
Maine. As the climate seemed too stern for his 
wife's health, he decided to return to Massachu- 
setts, and at length took the pastoral care of 
the parish in Waltham. After living there 
two years he accepted an invitation to the 
Church of Our Father, Pawtucket, and preached 
there three years and a half. Receiving an 
urgent invitation from the St. Lawrence Univer- 
sity, he accepted the post of profe.ssor of Biblical 
Languages and Literature in the theological 
school in Canton, N. Y. He began his work in 
October, i860, and prosecuted it for two years. 
But the school was a young institution, imper- 
fectly endowed, and the war .so hindered the 
fulfillment of the promises made, that Mr. 
Goodrich resigned his professorship, and at the 
request of his old parish returned to Pawtucket. 
There he retained the pastoral care till early in 
1875. As he was afflicted with laryngitis, he 
refrained from pastoral work for a few years but 
for over fourteen years has supplied the I'ni\-er- 
salist i)arisli in 15urrillville. R. I. 



330 



ILLUSTRATlvlJ IIISTURV U I" I'AWT U C K ICT. 



Ill 1865, as lliu war luul LMuk-d ami the 
theological .school had nn.aiu\ hik- hcc-ii cii 
dewed, Mr. Goodrich was iiuited to resume his 
professorship, but felt constrained to decline. 
Four years afterward he was requested to acee])t 
a theological professorship in a college in (kiles 
burg. 111., lint this he also declined. .Some 
years ago 'rults College conferred on liim tin.' 
degree of .\. M. In 1865 he delixered the 
address at the Centennial ol North rro\i(lenee, 
and in 1876 compiled a "Historical Sketch of 
Pawtucket." In i8y;;, at the World's Fair of 
of Religions he furnished a discourse before the 
Ihiiversalist branch on the " Higher Criticism." 
Jan. 1, 1845, Mr. (Goodrich was ordained, and 
on Xew Year's da\-, 1895, he celebrated, b>- a 
sermon in the church at Burrillville, his fiftieth 
anniversary. He was married April 22, 1846, to 
Charlotte K. Nutter, and April 22, 1896, they cele- 
brated their golden wedding at their residence. 
Since 1876 Mr. (joodrich has been chief editorial 
writer on the Pawtucket Cia/.ette and Chronicle. 

GOODWIN, Almon Kent, the present post 
master of I'awtucket, was born in South Ber- 
wick, Me., March 27, 1839, and was the third 
child of Augustus and Mercy (Preble) (iood- 
win. He attended the jniblic .schools and the 
academy of his native town until he was fifteen 
years old, when he was prepared for the sopho- 
more cla.ss in college. Concluding to adopt the 
profession of medicine, he decided not to pursue 
a college course, and instead came to Pawtucket 
in 1857 and entered upon the study of medicine 
in the office of Dr. Sylvainis Clapp. Finding this 
study uncongenial after two years, he concluded 
to turn his attention to something more in 
accordance with his tastes, and engaged in 
mercantile business, being for a number of \ears 
the .senior mend)er of the well known firm of 
Goodwin iS: .\llen, wholesale Hour dealers, 
Providence. 

Mr. Goodwin has always been ])rominenl in 
public affairs. He has been closely identified 
with the Republican party for thirty-five years, 
having voted for Abraham I.,incoln in i860 : \et 
while always a Republican he has been popular 
with men of all parties. He has been chairman 
of the town, city, and state central Republican 



connnittees, and has taken an active part in the 
various camjjaigns which came under his juris 
diction, serving as colonel of the Boys in I'.Iue, 
and in other active campaign organization^. IK- 
was a mend)erof the General Assembly in 1875-6, 
and again in iSSj, during which time he served 
as a member of the cmnmittee on corporations 
and as chairman ol tin- coiiiinittee on militia. 
He was a delegate lo the National Repul)lican 
Coiueiitiini which nominated James A. (Garfield 
in iS.So. He served as auditor of the town and 
cit\ ol Pawtucket for .several years, and as 
auditor of the .state of Rhode Island in 18.S7. 
In the latter year he was first elected mayor of 
the city of Pawtucket, serving two years, i8,S.S 
and 1889, and was again elected in 1890, serving 
during 1891. The second time he was elected 
ma\or he carried every ward in the city, Demo- 
cratic and Republican. After his third term he 
refused to again be a candidate. As the city's 
chief executive officer, he was conservative yet 
progressive. In his fir.st annual message as 
mayor he advocated the widening of High 
street, and this great improvement was accom- 
plished during the second term of his admini- 
stration. In 1.S91 he was appointed state 
commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and 
Statistics. He was a])pointed po.stmaster of 
Pawtucket in 1892, which iiosition he now 
holds. 

Mr. Goodwin was for many years active in 
the state militia, and did good ser\-ice in this 
line while a member of the General Assembly. 
He served as major on the staffs of Major Gen- 
eral Horace Daniels and Major General William 
R. Walker. He is a pleasant speaker, and 
has done much for the advancement of his 
])arty's interests, as well as for the interests of 
the city. In every position which he has held 
he has served the peo|)le conscientiously and 
with marked abilil\'. l'i\' his t-ourteous treat- 
ment uf all with whom he has been limuglU in 
contact in his public and pri\ate career, and b\- 
the affabilitN' which is natural to him, he has 
alwa>s been exceedingly ])ciiinlar in the cit\- 
and state. 

Mr. (ioodwin was married in 185S to Sarah 
.M. Tower, daughter of the late John C. Tower 





MUNAT GAGMOM, M. D. 





WALTER S. GARDNER, 



WILLIAM E. GARDINER, 

DISTANT MANAGER PAWTUCKET LOA 





PETER GERMAIN, 

PROPRIETOR HOTEL LINCOLN, CENTRAL FALLS. 



GEORGE GRAHAM, 

RETmeO GROCER. 



332 



ILLUSTRATKI) HISTORY OF PAWT l' C K I-;T. 



aiul sister of Caj)l. Le\'i Towt-r. of the Secoiul 
Rhode Island Volunteers, who was killed at the 
first battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861, while 
gallantly leading his men against the rebel foe. 
Mrs. Goodwin was an excellent singer, whose 
clear, sweet \-oice it was always pleasant to 
hear, and which was heard for years in the 
churches in this city. Slie was a women of 
marked ability, and was not only of great aid to 
her husband in all the affairs of life, public and 
private, but she took a lively interest in public 
affairs and an active part in man\- enterprises 
for the benefit of the connnunit\', among which 
may be mentioned the Ladies Soldiers Memorial 
A.ssociation, which she served efficiently as a 
member of the executive conuniltee. vShe died 
Feb. 19, 1S92. 

This union was blessed !)>• one daughter, 
Margaret Kent, who was born in Pawtucket, 
and who is still living. She inherits decided 
nnisical tastes and talents from her mother and 
to-day is one of the leading jiianists in the state. 

QORHAN, Peter, was born in Lancashire, 
luigland, Dec. 14, 1854, the first child of Thomas 
and Mar\- ( Henry) (iorman. He went to school 
until he was 1 i years old, when he began to 
work in a cotton mill, where he learned to be a 
mulespinner. His father who was born in 
Ireland, early in life emigrated to England, but 
came from that country to America in 1872 with 
his wife and family, and settled in Central Falls. 
Peter first worked as a mulespinner for the 
Slater Cotton Company, and then for the Conant 
Thread Company, but devoted his evenings to 
study, and attended the Pawtucket night school. 
Being possessed of quick perceptions, and a 
retentive memory he soon acquired a fair educa- 
tion, which he has steadily improved by clo.se 
observation. Seeing little opportunity for 
advancement in the cotton mill he entered the 
grocery store of James Murphy as salesman, 
where he remained until 1886, when having 
acquired considerable knowledge of the busi- 
ness he determined to start on his own account, 
which he did in July, 1886, at 584 Dexter street, 
Central Falls, in the grocery and general provi- 
sion line. Here he remained until 1892, when 
owing to the great increase of business he 



found it necessary to secure larger quarters, and 
built the block at 5oi and 603 Dexter street, 
where he is at jiresent located. His business 
was successful from the finst and his present 
store is among the largest and finest in Central 
Falls. 

Notwithstanding his close a])plication to 
business Mr. (iorman has not neglected his 
public duties. In 1890 he served on the board 
of fire wards, and was elected to the city council 
of Central F'alls from the fourth ward in 1895 and 
in 1896. For eight years he was a member of 
the Kearney Light Infantry and also served as 
musician in the United Train of Artillery for 
three years. He belongs to the Ancient Order of 
Hibernians, the Young Men's Catholic Associa- 
tion, and is president of the Central F'alls Dem- 
ocratic Association. 

Mr. Gorman was married twice, first, in 
November, 1877, i<i Rachael O'Connor of Cen- 
tral Falls, b\- which union there was one child, 
Thomas L., b. Sept. 16, 1878. She died in 
March, iSSo. His second wife is Mary A. 
Tierney of Pawtucket, to whom he was married 
Aug. 25, 1885. By this union there are six 
children. Rachael, b. Aug. 29, 18S6; lilizabeth, 
b. March 6, 1888; P. F;mmett, b. Feb. 29, 1891, 
d. Oct. 24, 1894; Cassey, b. July 29, 1892; 
Vincent J., b. July 1, 1894 ; and Charles b., June 
June 27, 1896. 

QOTTSCHALK, William Von, H. D., mayor 
of Central Falls in 1896 and 1897, was born in 
Providence, Dec. 16, 1S54, and was the .second 
child of William Von and FClizabeth ( Heath- 
cote) Gottschalk. His father was a homeo- 
pathic physician, who located in Providence in 
1854, where he practiced his profession success- 
fully for 34 years. 

William followed in his father's footsteps. 
He obtained his education in the Pnnidence 
public schools, and in the Boston University 
School of Medicine, from which he was gradu- 
ated in 1877 with the degree of M. D. He 
practiced his profession for a short time in Pro\i- 
dence, but in 1877 removed to Central Falls 
where he has built up a large and lucrative 
practice. He is a Democrat, and has taken an 
active and prominent part in politics for many 



lUOdU APIIIKS. 



333 



years. IK- ivprL-senU'd iIk- Unvii ol Liiiculn in 
the lower limise of llie (reiieral Assembl}- from 
i.SSS to iSyo. In i.Sy.S lie received the Demo- 
cratic and Citizens nomination for ma\dr ol 
Central Kails, hut was defeated 1)\- a small 
majoritw The following year, however, he was 
elected, and thus became the second maxor of 
Central Falls, and was reelected in Xo\'end.)er, 
iSi/i. He was a member of the h'irst Light 
Infautr\- of Providence for 15 \ears, during 
fi\e of which lie held a commission as first 
lieutenant. In 1SS7 Governor Davis appointed 
him aid-de-camj) attached to his personal staff. 

He is a member of the Rhode Island Home- 
opathic Medical Society ; the 
American In.stitutc of Home- 
opathy, and the Pawtucket 
Medical Association. In so- 
ciety circles Dr. Gottschalk is 
active, being a Mason, an Odd 
Fellow, a member of the 
Knights cf Pythias, the Im- 
proved Order of Red Men, 
the First Light Infantr>- 
Veteran Association, the 
Central Falls \'eteran Fire- 
men's As.sociation, and is an 
associate member of Ballon 
Post, G. A. R. April 24, 
1 884, he w^as married to Emma 
J. Whittle of Saylesville. 

GRAHAM, George, was 
born in Belfast, Ireland, Nov. 
29, 1S23. His father was a 
hand loom weaveron both cotton and linen goods: 
with his wife and family he came to America 
when George was only four months old. They 
first landed at St. Johns, N. B., and then came 
on a sailing packet to Boston, from whence they 
traveled in a stage coach of the old Bo.ston and 
Providence line and arrived in Pawtucket early 
in 1S24. The father went to work for vSamuel 
Slater as a dresser tender, but several \ears 
later he engaged in the retail grocery business 
in Pawtucket, in which he continued until his 
death in 1865. George attended the Pawtucket 
schools until he was 10 years of age. At the 
age of 13 he went to work in the Dunnell print- 




WILLIAM VON GOTTSCHALK, M.D. 



works, where he was employ etl for three years. 
He then spent three years in New Bedford learn- 
ing the machinist trade. In 1851 he went to 
California, via the Nicaraugua route. He dug 
for gold in Calaveras county, worked a river 
claim in summer and a placer claim in winter. 
He was successful in the latter, mined for nearly 
li\e years, and personally dug gold to the 
\alue of $100 a week for a long time. He accu- 
mulated some money, returned to Paw-tucket in 
1856, and assisted his father in the grocery busi- 
ness until the latter's death in 1865. From that 
time he carried on the business alone until 1893 
when a stroke of paralysis prevented him from 
giving it his further atten- 
tion, and the store at 105 and 
107 Water street is now con- 
ducted by his son, William 
( ). Graham. 

Mr. ("rraham has always 
been a Democrat. He ser\-ed 
as a member of the town coun- 
cil of the old town of Paw-- 
tucket, Mass., was a tax 
assessor, and represented 
Pawtucket in the Rhode 
Island legislature for one 
term. For some years lie be- 
longed to the Pawtucket 
Horse Guards. He has been 
married twice, fir.st to Eliza- 
beth Brice, by which union 
there were three children, 
Samuel J., Jane and Eliza- 
beth. His second wife was Annie E. Oman, 
and by this union there were four children, 
William O., Sarah Elizabeth, Carrie Louise 
and iM'ank Major. 

GRANDFIELD, Michael, H. D., the third 
child of Thomas (L and Mary (vSears) Grand- 
field, was born in Dingle, County Kerry, 
Ireland. June 23, 1857. He attended the 
Christain Brothers' school of his native town 
until he was 16 years of age. He came to this 
countr\ in 1S73 with his parents, and they 
settled in hall River, where he continued his 
education under private tuition. He connnenced 
the stud\- of law in the oflice of David vSullivan, 



334 



I I,I,USTR ATIU) IIISTOKV OF PAWTUCKET. 



cit>- solicitor (il l'";ill Ri\xr, hut ailer ;i .short linn.- 
abandoned it. In iS,S2-3 he was bnsiness man- 
ager of thi- l'"all River Ilerakl. ()\vini»- to his 
stndioiis habits he- was strongly in (avov of a 
professional career and notwithstanding the 
allurements of public office — having been elected 
a member of the I'"all Ri\er city council — he 
entered the medical school of the University of 
New York in iSS^ and was graduated with the 
degree of M. D. in 1.S87. He connnenced the 
practice of his profession in Springfield, Mass., 
but established himself at 125 Pine street. Paw- 
tucket in 1S91. He has built up a large and 
lucrative ])ractice and has became widely known 
as a careful and successful practitioner. He is 
the physician and medical examiner for a num- 
ber of fraternal societies, chief among which 
may be mentioned Courts Woodland and Cit\' 
of Pawtucket, A. O. h". of A., and Sanctuar\- of 
Roger Williams, A. O. of .Sheperds of America. 
Nov. 24, i.'^oi, he was married to Jane O'Dowd 
ot b'all Ri\er, 1)\- which union there are two 
children: Mary, b. Nov. 24, i.Sqj, and John, b. 
P"eb. 2<S, 1S94. 

GREENE, Benjamin Franklin, one of the 
jiionecr manufactures of Pawtucket and Central 
Falls, was the son of Capt. Benjamin and Har- 
riet (C)reene) Greene. He was born in Warwick, 
R. I., Jan I. 1S07. The family homestead was 
south of Pawtuxet, inchidcil the famous Mark 
Rock, with its notable impressions and inscrip- 
tions, and was within the limits of Old Warwick, 
a region memorable in Rhode Island hi.story. 
Capt. Benjamin Greene was a well known sea- 
captain, making voyages to the Indies and to 
remote countries. His children were William 
M., Weltlia A., Godfrey, Benjamin F'., Harriet 
G., Henry P., Richard W., and Philip A. The 
grandfather of Benjamin F. was Godfrey Greene, 
a farmer of the old school, who had seven child- 
ren : Amy, Betsy, .Sarah, Godfrey, William, 
Caleb C, and Benjamin, The mother of Ben- 
jamin F. was the daughter of Hon. William 
Greene, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of 
Rhode Island in the days of the revolution. 
The Judge was a brother of Major-Gcneral 
Nathanael Greene. The children of Judge 
Greene were Thomas, Christopher, Warren, 



Catharine, Harriet and Jeremiah, .\t oue 
time Judge Greene was the ownei ol about 
twenty slaves, all ol whom he I'lnallx liberated. 
On the marriage ot hi^ dau;_;hter Harriet he 
gave her a slave named Sarah, l''rom disasters 
at sea and other causes. Ca])t, I'.enjamin (ireeiie 
lost his jiroperty, and his famil>' were obliged to 
labor for their support. He was b. June 25, 
1771, and d, .Se])t 21, i.S47. aged 76 years. His 
wife, Harriet, b. .\])ril 22, 1779, d. March 21, 
1S37, in her 58th year, and was a woman of 
great energy and worth, 

Benjamin F. had small o])portunities of 
education in the schools, but he sui)]>lie(l lliis 
deficiencj- souiewhat by reading. At the age of 
eight he began to work in the Crompton mills, in 
Warwick, for one dollar per week. In i.Si6he 
worked in the Natick mills for General Christo- 
pher Rhodes. vSubsequenth' he worked for 
William Sjjrague, who first estal)lislied calico 
printing in the state. In 1^24, at the age of 
seventeen, he engaged al Central b'alls as a 
second-hand in making threail for Walker & 
Allen, and from 1825 to 1S40 was ox'erseer of 
the mill. When he came to Central b'alls he 
brought all his worldl\- goods tied up in a 
handkerchief. In i 840 he connnencetl business 
in Central Falls with .Stephen Benedict, Joseph 
Wood, Thomas Benedict, and .Samuel Wood, 
he overseeing the manufacture ol thread and the 
others furnishing capital. In 1845 he went to 
Mapleville, in Burrillville, R. I., and manufac- 
tured thread and warps for Hill &: Carpenter. 
In 1850 he engaged in the thread manufacture 
at Clarke's Mills in Richmond, R. I., where 
Horace Daniels became his bookkeejier. .Mr. 
Daniels suggested the idea of putting up the 
thread upon .spools. In 1855 Mr. Greene lea.sed 
a mill in Central F'alls for ten >ears. Mr. Daniels 
finally entered into business with him as a part- 
ner, and invented a machine for jiolishing the 
thread. 

In iS6(i the firm erecteil a new mill in Paw- 
tucket, across the ri\-er from Central I'alls, 
which was enlarged in 1865, making a solid 
and beautiful brick structure 420 feet long, four 
stories lii.s;h, with a I'rencli roof, giving another 
storv, and three lar<;e towers. The mill cost 



LIOG kA IMI 1 I'.S. 



335 



when completed about $1,000,000. and 
runs about 25,000 s])iiidle.s. After the 
death of liis partner, ('.en. Horace 
Daniels. Dec. 14, 1S76, .Mr. (".reeiie 
boui;ht out the interest cif Cien. Daniels's 
heirs and became sole owner of the 
thread liusiiiess and the mill ])ro]ierty. 
In 1S77, however, he made a joint st<ick 
ccnnjianv of the concern, although he 
continued to be the controlling owner, 
and named the corporation the Greene 
<!<: Daniels Manufacturing Co., the capi- 
tal .stock being $300,000, all paid in. 
Until his death, Jan. 29, 1886, Mr. 
Greene was president, his son, Edwartl 
A. Greene, was treasurer, and George 
P. Grant was agent. At the time of his 
death Mr. Greene was the oldest Amer- 
ican manufacturer of thread in the 
country. 

During the war of the rebellion, 
although exempt from militarj- service, 
he was an active member of the Home 
(ruard. In politics he was at first a 
Whig and then a Republican. In 1S66 
he served the town of Smithfield as a 
mend)er of the State Legislature. For 
many \ears he was a director in the ' 

Slater National Hank of Pawtucket. 
In 1835 he and his wife united with 
the First Baptist church in Pawtucket, 
but in 1844 they became members of the Central 
Falls Baptist church. For the building of the 
new church edifice on Broad street, Mr. Greene 
contributed about $16,000. He was a member 
of the Home and Foreign Missionary societies of 
the Baptists, was one of the managers of the 
Rhode Island Baptist State Convention, and a 
director in the Ba]itist \'ineyard Association, of 
Cottage City, Martha's \'ine\ar(l. While appl\- 
ing himself closely and successfidl\ to his manu- 
facturing interests he yet found o])porl>inity for 
travel throughout the United States and Canada. 

He married, June 17, 1833, Rebecca Borden 
Linnell, daughter of Josiah and Rebecca Liiniell 
of Hyanni.sport, Barnstable County, Mass., a 
wonran of great industry and rare prudence and 
])iet\ . She was b. June 28, 1808, and d. in 




BEMJAMIM F. GREENE, 

FOUNDER OF THE GREENE A DANIELS MANUFACTURIh 



Central Falls, in the Greene mansion. June 3, 
1878, in her 70th year. By this union there 
were six children : l^leanor. who died young ; 
Sarah J., who married Wanton Durfee : Herbert 
!•■.. who died > oung ; Mary A., who married 
l'"llery W. Greene ; Richard I'"., who married 
.\ugusta Brown : and Kdward .\.. who married 
.\nnie II . Houghton. 

GREENE, Edward A., the youngest child 
of Benjamin F. and Rebecca Borden (Linnell) 
Greene, was born in Central Falls, Feb. 9, 1845. 
He obtained his education in the public .schools 
and at the Bryant & Stratton Business College, 
Providence, and then became a clerk in the 
office of Cireene & Daniels, of which firm his 
father was the senior partner. He remained in 
this position for four years, when he went to 



536 



ILLUSTRATI-;!) HISTORY O !•' 1' A \VT UC K !•; T. 



Europe. While there he devoUd iinuh lime lo 
the study of the methods used U\ iu:ui> i>l the 
large cotton mills. I'])()n his return, heinj^ 
anxious to acquire a tlmroui;!! knowledge of the 
details of his business, he spent four years in 
the factory. In 1876 Mr. Daniels died, ;uul the 
firm was then incorporated as the Greene «S: 
Daniels Manufacturing Co., and Mr. Greene 
was elected treasurer. Uj)on the death of his 
father in 1886 he was elected president, and 
when Mr. George Grant resigned as treasurer 
in 1895 Mr. Greene was elected in his place and 
is now president and treasurer of the company. 
He is al.so a director of the Slater National Bank 
of Pawtucket, the Kent-Stanley Co. of Provi- 
dence, the Atlantic Mutual Fire Insurance Co. 
of Providence, the Pawtucket Mutual Fire In- 
surance Co., the River Spinning Co. of Woon- 
socket, and is a trustee of the Franklin Savings 
Bank of Pawtucket. After graduating from 
the Bryant & Stratton Business College in 1861 
he became a private in the Home Guard and 
served until 1S65. He was quartermaster of the 
Union Guards of Central Falls for five years 
and was commissary on the staff of Gen. Horace 
Daniels, with the rank of major. 

Mr. Greene is a member of the Broad vStreet 
Bapti.st church. In national and state affairs he 
is a Republican. He has taken an active part 
in the advocacy of public improvements. Fel). 
II, 1874, he was married to Annie H. Houghton 
of Providence, by which union there are four 
children: Muriel H.,b. April 19, 1875: William 
H., b. June 28, 1878; Edith H., b. July 31, 
1886, who d. in infancy, and Madeline 11., b. 
May 27, iSSg. 

GRIMES, William H., is the third of six 
sons (all living) of Robert and Catherine 
(McOuillian) Grimes, and was born in the town 
of Monaghan, Ireland. His brothers are John, 
Thomas, Francis, Jo.seph and Edward. The 
Grimes family removed to the United States in 
1848 and took up a residence in Uxbridge, 
Mass. The father was a pioneer Irishman in 
that town, and by his manly <|ualities endeared 
himself to all who knew him. Being an expert 
in the improved methods of weaving, he sought 
for and found employment in the mill and soon 



became tin- head ol Xhv wcaxing department. 
The fainil\ licinie reiiiaintd at Uxbridge until 
1875, when the lallur lelired from active busi- 
ness life to reside in l'n)\-idence. The son, 
W'illiam II. Grimes, allendc-d ])nblic st'liool and 
sul)seqiKMitl\' Schi)liield's Coiuniercial College. 
In 1865 he obtained enq)loym(.iit from his two 
l)rothers at Providence. While tliere he organ- 
ized the Emmett Guards, a company of the 
Rhode Island Militia, and without seeking the 
ai)pointment, he was connnissioned as first ca])- 
tain of the company ]>y Gov. Padelford. lle 
held the office for three years and then resigned. 
In 1872, he married Miss Julia Butler of Provi- 
dence, who died in 1881. From this marriage, 
Madelaine Grimes and Robert Grimes were born. 

In 1873 Mr. Grimes and family came to 
Pawtucket. He started in business at the 
corner of High and Main streets, and remained 
there until 1883 when he removed to Nos. 23 
and 25 North Main street, in the Manchester 
block, which he now occupies and holds under 
lease. At different times he has had branch 
stores in Pawtucket, and Bridgeport, Comi. 
He is esteemed as a sound and successful busi- 
ness man. 

In 1891, he married Miss Catherine Myers 
of Brooklyn, X. Y. Three children, William. 
Miriam Cecilia, and Paul, were born of this 
union. He and his wife and all of his children, 
with the exception of Robert, who has a position 
in Boston, Mass., reside at 34 Denver street, 
Pawtucket. 

Mr. tirimes has taken an acti\e interest in 
the progress and development of Pawtucket, 
and while he has not sought for nor held 
public office he has backed U]) the and)ition of 
others by his good counsel and substantial 
support. For the past few years, however, he 
has declined to enter into partisan movements. 
Through his kindly and helping dis]>osition 
and his ready wit, he has made and retains a 
large circle of friends, and is recognized as a 
substantial citizen. 

HALL, William, .son of William and Ann 
(liritton) Hall, was born in Bradford, England, 
in iS'',5. He went to school in his native city 
until he was u \ears old, when he went to 



HIOG K A I'll I I<:S. 



337 



work in a spinning mill which turned out fill- 
iiij; tor worsted weaving'. He learned the entire 
business, including spinning, drawing, and 
combing processes. He became an expert, 
remained with the concern 30 j-ears, and was 
promoted to have charge of the drawing depart- 
ment. He then engaged with Isaac Tempest 
to take charge of the drawing, combing and 
s]iiiniing of wool in his large works. He 
remained in this place six years and then 
engaged with William Willis Wood, mayor of 
Bradford, m 1881, to superintend the same pro- 
cesses in his large yarn mills. Mr. Hall's repu- 
tation as a successful wool spinner became 
widely known and in 1881 he was engaged bj' 
W. I'. iS: I'. C. Saj'les, came to America and 
became sujjeriutendent of that firm's wool spin- 
ning department in the Lorraine Mills. He 
has continued there ever since, has full charge 
of the spinning of wool for weaving purposes, 
with 250 hands and 8000 spindles under his 
control. In politics Mr. Hall is a Republican. 
He is a member of the Lorraine Chapel, of 
which he has been treasurer for nine years. By 
his exertions the church has been kept out of 
debt and is on a prosperous basis. He is a 
prominent member of the Y. Si. C A. Mr. 
Hall has one son, John, who was born in Brad- 
ford, luigland, and is now an overseer in the 
draw ing room of the Lorraine Mills under his 
father ; he is an active member of the V. M. C. 
A., an exemplary j-oung man, was married in 
1S8-; to Elizal)eth, daughter of George Howarth 
of Pawtucket, and they have three children : 
George, William and John, all Ijorn in Paw- 
tucket. Mr. Hall takes a great deal of pride 
and interest in his grandchildren. 

HALLIDAY, Frederick F., was born in 
New York city in 1833, and is of Scotch 
descent. When two years old, his ialher, who 
was an expert wood carver, went with his family 
to London, England : was cm])loye(l on the 
houses of Parliament ; but jirevious to this car- 
ried on business for himself for some years in 
New York city, and died in T^ondon in 1S45. 
Frederick attended the publii- and private 
schools of London until he was i", years of age, 
and from 10 \ears of age worked during vaca- 



tions and .spare time in a retail store. His 
mother and father fitted him out with a stock of 
clothing and .started him to New York in the 
ship London, and he was met in New York bj' an 
older brother. After a while he secured a posi- 
tion in a factor)- where carpenter tools were 
made. 

Later he remoxed to New Haven where he 
learned the carpenter's trade. When 21 years 
of age, he was employed at the works of the 
Yolcanic Repeating Pistol Co., where he set up 
machiner)- for the plant. Afterwards he went 
south and became a contractor and builder in 
West Virginia. He was in Virginia at the time 
of John Brown's raid. The outbreak of the war 
killed his busine.ss, and he removed to Kentucky, 
where he again started as a builder of wagon 
work, but on account of his Union proclivities 
was ordered to leave the state. He was forced 
to abandon his business and immediately moved 
to Ohio, but affairs being in a very un.settled 
condition there he decided to come north. He 
arrived at Pawtucket in 1861, worked for S. S. 
Humes for five or six years in the power shop and 
then for D. D. Sweet & Co. until the failure of 
that firm, when he became a partner with D. A. 
Arnold in the pattern-making business. In 
1890 he bought out Mr. Arnold, and has since 
conducted the business under his own name, 
his specialties being the making of patterns and 
saddles for spinning frames and mules and the 
construction of wood work for all kinds of ma- 
chinery. In 1893 his son Frederick F., Jr., was 
for a .short time a partner in his busine.ss. 

Mr. Halliday represented the first ward in 
the common council from 1887 to 1.891. He 
belongs to St. Paul's Episcopal church, is a 
member of the Holy Sepulchre Commandery, 
Pawtucket Royal Arch Chapter, and of the 
Knights of Pythias. He was married to Sarah 
Jane Cheek of Riple\', Ohio, in 1861, and their 
children are: Frederick F., Jr., George Thomas, 
Wilbor, luiima Maria. Jennie, Edith and Alfred. 

HALLIDAY, Frederick F., Jr., was born in 
Pawtucket, K. I., Jan. 15, 1862, and is the first 
child of Frederick and Sarah Jane (Cheek) 
Halliday. He attended the public schools of 
his native town iinti] his 17th year when he 



33^ 



tLH^STU A'ri; I) HISTORY OF I'AWT I' C KlvT. 



went to work in the ofiice ol (ieoi'm,- W. Kful 
as assistant bookkeeper. As this (iciu]i;ilinn 
was not connenial to him he detennineil Id 
learn a trade and a]i])renlieed liinisell In !>. A. 
Arnokl «!v: Son, pattern niaki-rs, with whnni lie 
remained twelve vears. In iSij.i he ojiened a 
small pattern shop, which he has continned to 
enlarge, until now he lias a wond working 
establishment completely eqnip]K-d with modern 
machinery. Besides pattern and cabinet making 
he does all classes of carpenter and wood work 
for factories and all kinds of machinery. The 
business was successful from the first .-md has 
increased steadily. June ji, iS.Sij, lu- was 
married to I,il\' Crosskx . daughter of Rolieit 
Crossley, and the>- have Iwn children : Roberl 
Crossley, b. March, 1891, and Jioiathia Maud, 
b. April, 1.S9.S. 

HARDING, Nehemiah, was born in West 
Harwich, Mass., Ma\- i,',, ■•'^.i.v and is the 
fourth child of Nehemiah and Abigail (Smith) 
Harding. He attended the public .schools of 
his native tnwii until his iiiiilh year. .\t that 
early age he wvui to sea as a lisherman and fol- 
lowed this occupation for 10 years. In 1.S52 he 
came to Central Falls and worked at spool- 
making for two years. He was then enijiloyed 
in a general merchandise store b\' Jcihii W. 
Tingley for three and a half years. In i^i.s;, in 
copartnership with Henry Gooding, he opened 
a grocery and crockery store, but owing to poor 
health he was compelled to retire in 1S61. In 
1S64 he opened another store, which he con- 
tinued for ID years, disjiosing of it to enter the 
dry goods business in the lidgerton block, Cen- 
tral street. This business increased so that he 
was com]ielled to seek larger quarters on the 
other side of the street, at No. 60, where he 
remained until July, 1S96, when owing to the 
decrease of business on account dl the readjust- 
ineul of pojnilation he removed to his jncsent 
location, 516 Dexter street, where he now has 
an excellent trade. He has betii successful 
from the first and his business is continually 
increasing. 

Mr. Harding is a Republican in politics. lie 
attends the Haptist church on Uroad street, and 
is a member ol the Knights of Honor, R. S. C). 



I',, Iron Hall, and of the Central I'alls \'eteran 
I'iremen's .\ssociatioii. Sept. 2.S, 1S56, he was 
married to lvlizal)eth 15. Oooding of Central 
Falls, b\ which union there were seven child- 
ren, six of whom are deceased. The sur\i\ing 
child, M. Florence, was born in Central I'alls, 
Ajiril 23, 1S74, and was married Jan. 22. 1.S96. 
to J. Henry Weaver. 

HARLEY, David, was born in P.almerino, 
iMfeshire, Scotland, No\-. 27, 1S52, and is the 
son of William and Isabella (McLeish) IIarK\ 
of Perthsliiie. He received his education in the 
schools of his native land, and then learned the 
dry goods business in Coupar-Angus. In iSj2 
he came to the Ignited States and located in 
I'roxidence. l.ate in 1S76 he entered into a 
co])artnership with John G. Small, and started 
a dry goods .store in the Spencer building. Paw- 
tucket, under the llrm name f)f Small it Harley. 
Mr. Small witlidrew in i.sss and the business 
was continued by Mr. IIarlc\ under the name 
of David Harley & Co., until it was incorporated 
in 1.S94 as the David Harle\' Co. The store is 
now at 286 and 288 Main street, and is a modern 
mammoth department enijiorinm. The officers 
of the company are : John H. Cumming, presi- 
dent ; David Harley, treasurer; and P'rank H. 
Borden, secretary. Mr. Harley is the active 
and responsible manager of the business. 

Mr. Harley is a Republican. He is a mem- 
ber of the Park Place Congregational church 
and takes a deep interest in church work. He 
is a charter mendjer of the Pawtucket Business 
Men's Association, belongs to the Masonic 
Order, and to Clan Fraser, Order of Scottish 
Clans. In 1877 he was married to Jessie Mc- 
Kenzie P'erguson, b\' which union there were 
three children : William, Isabella, and George. 
His first wife died in 1889, and he was married 
the .second time to Nellie M. Coalidge, b\- which 
union there are two children : Marion Page and 
Gordon. 

HARRINGTON, Francis M., M. D., was 
born in ISostou, Mass., Jan. i, 1869. He was 
educated in the Boston i)ublic schools and at the 
College of Physicians and Surgeons in Boston, 
from which he was graduated in 1890 when 22 
years old. .Vfler spending .several months in the 





FREDERICK F. HALLIDAY, 



FRANCIS M. HARRINGTON, M. D. 




■^r^**^', 








WALTER G. HARTFORD. 



LEWIS T. HASKELL. 





SILAS B. HAVENS, 
OF S. B. HAVENS A CO-, CATERERS 



WILLIAM D. S. HAVENS, 
RETIRED GROCER. 



v^4o 



I I.I,rSTUATi;i) HISTORY OF 1' AWTl' C KKT. 



hospitals of Ivuropc he estalilished himsell as a 
physician at Roxbury, Mass., where he practiced 
two years. During this time he was connected 
with the Riiggles Street Hospital and the Har- 
vard Dispensary. I'or sonic time he has Ikcu 
general examiner for the Mdropolilan Lilc 
Insurance Co., in which capacit\ he first came 
to Pawtucket. vSince locating here he has 
huilt U]) a good general practice and ranks high 
as a ])h\sician and surgeon. ()ct. 15. 1'^')-, 
he was married at Littleton. N. H.. to Maud 
Rennie Burton of Hoston, and the\- ha\e one 
child, Francis Burton, h. March 5, i'S95, in 
Pawtucket. The doctor is a F'ellow of the 
Rhode Island Medical vSociet\ and also of the 
Pawtucket Medical Association, of which hist he 
is secretary. 

HARRISON, Alfred, was born in Manches- 
ter, England, Sejit. 2<\ 1S52, and was the first 
born of Abraham and Hann.ih (R(il)ins()n) 
Harrison. Fntil he was twelve years old he 
attende<l the l'ro\idence Hou.se Academy, at 
Mirfield. Yorkshire, to which jilace his parents 
had removed. He then became a telegraph 
clerk for the Lancashire and Yorkshire railwax 
at Mirfield, and afterwards was clerk in the 
locomotive department, where he remained until 
he was 16, when he went to work for his inuk-, 
Thomas Kenyon, who was a large manufacturer 
of chemicals for bleachers and dyers. For four- 
teen years Mr. Harrison was employed in this 
manufacture and in that period accjuired a thor 
ough knowledge of practical chemistr\ . In 
1882 he came to the United States and the fol- 
lowing year in partnershij) with Robert Cro.ssley 
began in Pawtucket the manufacture of chemi- 
cals for bleachers and dyers, under the firm 
name of A. Harri.son & Co. The industrx was 
started iu a small room on Pine street, but 
proved so successful that late in the same year 
a large plant was put in operation on Charles 
street. North Providence, and a large business 
has been developed. 

Mr. Harrison is a Republican. In religion 
he is an Ejjiscopalian. He belongs to all the 
prominent Masonic liodies in Provi<lence, 
and is a niend)er of the Royal .Society of 
Good Fellows, Central I''alls. March 12, 



iiS74, he was married to Mary Hannah Peace 
Kenyon, daughter of Thomas Kenyon, the 
founder of the branch of mannfacluring chem- 
istr\- ill which Mr. Ihirrison is now en- 
gaged. Mr. Ki.'ii\c)n's business was estab- 
lished in .Mauclusler. Ivngland, in i>^4,^. V>y 
this uiiinii there are fi\e children: Herbert 
.\lberl, 1). Dec. ,si, i.Sy.s; Ada Mary, b. June 
4, 1S77: Sarah .Mice Mabel, b. May 28, 1879; 
Lillian Neatli, b. Sept. 5, 1884 ; fJeorge Alfred 
I'"iederic, b. Jail. 18, i8yi. The first three were 
born in Manchester, England, and the last two 
in Pawtucket. 

.Mr. Harrison's father was born at .St. 
Helen's, near Liverpool, ICng., in 1.S25, and 
was a locomotive engineer on the Lancashire 
and Yorkshire railway. He died in 187(1. His 
mother was born in Manchester in 1S29 and died 
in iSi)4. 

HASKELL, Lewis T., a son of 'i'unier and 
Patience (Smith) Haskell, was born in Cumber- 
land, R. I., in 1.S25. He went to the district 
school winters and meanwhile worked on his 
father's farm. Afterwards he took a course at 
the F^riends vSchool, Providence, when 21 years 
of age. Not having studied for aii\ ]n-ofessioii 
he began to learn the macdiinist trade at the 
.\rnold Mills, Cumberland. After a \ear the 
business was discontinued and he then went to 
Woousocket to engage in the same trade w ilh 
Whipple and William Metcalf, manufacturers of 
cotton machiner}-. He c|uicklv ma.stered the 
trade, become an efficient machinist and re- 
mained in Woousocket three \ears, when he 
went to Providence as machinist for the Eagle 
Screw Co. (now the American), with which 
concern he continued about three \ears. In 
[853 he came to Pawtucket and founded the 
business of Pinkham, Haskell ..S: Co.. bolt and 
screw makers. In 1S55 he sold out his interest 
to his brother William 11. Haskell, after which 
he worked as a machinist in Providence and 
Pawtucket, but meanwhile li\e<l iu Pawtucket. 
In 1868 he opened a store and tinware business 
in the old Tyler building on Main street. Paw- 
tucket. He succeeded well, liut sold out the 
business in 1888, when he retired. He was 
married in 1853 to Susan L. Tingley, youngest 



B KXiRAl'lI I IvS. 



341 



daughter of Columbia Tiuglcv of Cumberland. 
He is now living quietly at his home, corner 
Broad and Nickerson streets, Pawtucket. He 
is a Republican, and has been a member of the 
First Baptist church for many years. 

HASKELL, William Henry, one of the 
leading manufacturers of Pawtucket, was born in 
Cumberland, R. I., Sept. i, 1S21. He obtained 
his education in the district schools of his 
native town, and workcil on his father's farm 
until he was iS years old, when he began to 
karn the machinist trade with Ebenezer and 
Joseph Metcalf in Cumberland. He worked 
with them for two years but went in 1840 to 
Woonsocket and the following \ear to F'all 
River, working at his trade in botli places. 
With the experience thus acquired he concluded 
to established himself in business. In 1845, in 
connection with Nathaniel S. Collyer, he did so 
in a shop on Mill street, Pawtucket, which he 
and his partner carried on for four years, and 
the business developed to such an extent that 
from twenty to thirt>' men were constantly 
employed . 

In 1850, in company with Curtis Collyer 
and Lewis T. Haskell, his younger brother, he 
Ijought an interest in the bolt and screw manu- 
facturing plant of Pinkham & Jenk.s, and the 
new firm was organized as Pinkham, Haskell & 
Co. In 1857 he purchased his brother's, Mr. 
CoUyer's and Stephen A. Jenks's interests in the 
firm and became sole owner. In 1861 Robert 
vSherman entered the firm as a special partner 
and continued as such until 1868 when Mr. 
Haskell bought him out. This indu.str>- was 
the successor of an old machine shop established 
in the first years of the century by Col. Stephen 
Jenks. Under Mr. Haskell's management the 
production of the bolt and nut shop was rapidly 
increased, so that the necessity .soon arose for 
the enlargement of the works. Tliis undertak- 
ing was begun in iSftoand conqileted in 1861, 
when the large shops on .Main street were put 
in operation. The first building erected was 
considered manunoth in its ])roportions, being 
100 feet long b\ jn wide, and two stories high, 
but in a few years the increase of business 
demanded its enlargement to ^^50 feet long by 50 



wide, and abfiut 150 employes were required to 
operate it. The specialties manufactured are 
bolts, nuts, washers and coach screws. The 
indu.strj^ has been uniformly .successful and has 
furnished contiinious employment to a large 
number of skilled mechanics. The present 
annual jiroduction is now valued at about 
$200,000. The concern was incorporated as 
the William H. Haskell Co. in 1881, and the 
pre.sent officers are William H. Haskell, presi- 
dent: Ednunul S. Mason, treasurer; Daniel A. 
Hunt, agent. 

While giving his best energies to the de- 
velopment of this great business, Mr. Haskell, 
however, did not neglect his duties as a citizen. 
He has represented the people in many positions 
of trnst and honor, and has ser\-ed as town 
councilman, water conunissioner, state senator, 
and on many boards and commissions. Politi- 
cally he was originally a Whig, but since before 
the war has acted with the Republican part\'. 
He has always had the respect and confidence of 
his fellow citizens in a marked degree, and his 
character and conduct has justified this regard. 
He is a director in the Pacific National Bank. 

Mr. Haskell was twice married, by which 
unions there were three children, two of whom, 
both daughters, are living. He is descended 
from a family who.se longevity is remarkable. 
His grandfather, Samuel Haskell, was 95, and 
his grandmother, Mary Haskell, 91 years of age, 
and both died in the same j'ear, 1S49. They 
were among the first settlers of Cundierland. 
His father. Turner Haskell, was active in jniblic 
life and served both in the town council of Cum- 
berland and the (General Assembly of Rhode 
Island f(ir man\ \cars. He lived and died in 
the town ol Cunihcrhmd and was 73 years old 
when he passed away in 1863. His mother. 
Patience (Smith) Haskell, died in 188-5 at the 
ripe age of 89. This couple hatl nine children, 
of whom William H. was the second son. 

HATHEWAY, William Henry. Nature 
gave to Mr. Hatlieway so modest, reser\-ed and 
patient a character, yet, withal .so brave, when 
true courage was required, as never to .shrink 
when he felt a dut\ urged him on, that few ever 
really knew his trul\ refined and poetic thoughts 



.^4= 



I I, I, I • S T R A T I'D 1 1 I S T (» R V < ) !• V.\ W T I" CK I'. T. 



aiul itleas. Mis piirilaiiic hrin<;iiii; uji. conihiiicd 
with great conscientiousness, made liini seem 
severe in discijiline with those he loved, because 
he could not endure to think that his own had 
fallen short of any duty or accountability, 
llpright to the utmost, his word as good as his 
bond, fulfilling every obligation, faithful, luiuesl, 
never .self-seeking, he has passed im to that uu 
known world where all knowledge is his, and 
the reward of the faithful unto death is given. 

IK- was the sou of Frederick and Sall\' 
(White) Ilallieway, was Ixnii at Dightou, 
.Mass., Dec. ii, 1.S14, and died at Pawlucket, 
R. I., March 16, 1S75. lie was a lineal descend- 
ant of John Hathewaw who is s])oken of in the 
Colnnial Records as the " Leading Citizen of 
'rauutou." and one of the first proprietors of 
that town, and its representative at the Ply- 
mouth Colony Court many years. He was 
likewi.se descended from Richard Williams, one 
of the first and largest owners of what was called 
the "South Purchase," and who named the 
tract of land Dightou in honor of his wife, 
I'Vauces Dightou. Ricliard Williams was a 
representati\e to the Plymouth Colony Court 
manj' years. Mr. Ilatlieway was also descended 
from many other first comers, including John 
Richmond, John Turner, John Anthony, Thomas 
Caswell and Richard (jodfre\- : James Walker, 
chairman nl tlu- t-ommittee on war several 
years, and who held many important offices in 
colonial times: Joliu Coggeshall, the first jiresi- 
deut of the c(il(iu\- of Rhode Island ; John 
Coggeshall, Jr., who was deputy governor sev- 
eral years, and one nt tlie signers of the Royal 
Charter granted li> Iviug Charles II. in 
1663 ; from William liauldstone, another signer 
of the Royal Charter and Que of the governor's 
council for twent\ twii \ tars, as well as treasurer, 
and the occui)ant of otliei important offices ; John 
Greene, surgeon, one of the first purchasers of 
Warwick ; beside from comers in each of the 
three first vessels, Mayflower, I'orluue, and 
Anne. Others of note and worth iu tlu- cul 
onies were his direct ancestors. lie was in 
direct descent from mau\- lines of royah>, 
William the Coiujueror and Charlemagne lieiug 
among them. The grandfather of .Mr. Ilatlie- 



way was vSte])heu IIalhewa\-, who was a ship- 
builder at Tauutou, and on the coming of age 
of his sons (as was a fashion with man\- at that 
(.-arl\- time) gave them a ]iortiou of his niouex 
or estate. Sle])lKu uuirried Hoj)e Pierce, a 
descendant of Abraham Pierce of Plymouth 
colony, and they had twehe children, the 
names of whoui were : Leonard, Alik-u, .Stephen, 
Nicholas, .\uua, Ivlias, Ivbeue/.er, iMederick. 
Ansou, llii]ii-, Pdlly and Ivrastus. The portion 
of Frederick, who had been educated as a navi- 
gator, was two ships laden with ]>roduce to 
carry to the West Indies in exchange for tropi- 
cal produce to bring to Massachu.setts or New 
England, but, being caught in a terrible gale, 
the vessels were lo.st with several of the crew. 
Captain Frederick never recovered from the 
exposure and lived man}' years an inxalid, 
having received a sunstroke by over-exertion for 
the preservation of the men entru.sted to his care. 

William lived in the family of his uncle, 
Aldeu Hatheway of P'reetown, several years, 
where he attended the village school ; later he 
came to Smithfield. R. 1., and there married 
Miss Fanny .\rnold, a descendant of Thomas 
and William Arnold. He engaged in farming, 
but later formed a paitnershi]) with others and 
built at Pawtucket in 1853, near the railroad on 
Broad .street, what was .styled the Rhode Island 
Stove Works, but afterwards becoming sole pro- 
prietor the name was changed to the Pawtucket 
Furnace Company. He served the town occa- 
sionally as a member of the .school committee and 
of the town council. At Mr. Hathewa>-'s death in 
1.S71 he left two daughters, win-, are uowlixing: 
Belinda Olney, wife of Joshua Wilbour, ol Wil- 
bour, Jackson & Co., bankers, Proviilence, R. I. ; 
Anna, wife of William Heur\- Park, cashier 
I'irst National I5auk of Pawtucket. 

HAVEN5, Silas B., sou of Col. C). and 
Laura (Ral])h) Havens, was born in Co\eutr\-, 
R. I., .\ug. jc;, 1.S47. He atteudeil school iu 
his uatiw- \illage until he was i') years old, 
llieu worked iu a grocery store at Hojie f<u- 
three nujuths, when he took a six mouths' 
course at the East Greenwich Aca<lem\ . .\ller 
staying at home for a lime, he became a clerk 
for A. & W. Sprague iu the corporation store 



1! IOC. k A I'll I IvS. 



:i43 



at Cranston, where he remained for six months, 
and then went to tlie same firm's store at Natick, 
of wliieh he was soon appointed foreman in tlie 
dry goods department. He luld tliis ])<)sitii>n 
two years and was entr\- elerk lor i S montlis, 
and then started into the groeery l)nsiness for 
liiniselt in Cci\entry. While eondncting tliis 
linsiness hi was ap]iointed postmaster of Covlmi- 
lr\ , and held the (jlTice two years. He was 
then a])])ointetl depot master at Co\i-ntr\'. and 
staved there in that capacity nntil iSji, when 
he ]>nrchased a one-fourth interest in the sjjool 
and hohhin works at Pottersville, R. I., and a 
similar interest in new works the same concern 
erected at Nipninek. R. I. ; but in 1874 he sold 
out his stock in hotli these properties, came to 
Pawtucket, Sept. 5, 1876, and purchased W. 
H. Harper's interest in the bakery of Harper & 
DeWitt, on East avenue. On the death of Mr. 
DeWitt in 1879, Mr. Haven's bought the entire 
business. In 1883 he added a catering depart- 
ment, and in 1891 purchased the restaurant of 
S. D. W'arburton at 176 Main street. 

Under the name of S. H. Ha\ens iS; Co., he 
conducted both the l)aker\- ant! the restaurant 
until I ■'^94, but since then has confined his 
attention to the restaurant and to liigh-class 
catering. As caterers the firm controls the 
lion's share of the high-class trade hereabouts 
and suppl\- every possible requisite for dinner- 
]iarties. balls, suppers, weddings and break- 
fasts. The restaurant at 176 Main street is 30 
by 60 feet in size, furnished in a sumptuous and 
very attractive st\le, with handsome appoint- 
ments, electric-lights, soda fountain and other 
superior fixtures, and has acccmmodations for 
fifty persons. 

Politically Mr. Ha\cns is a Democrat and 
has been active in his party. In fraternal cir- 
cles he has taken a conspicuous part. He is 
Past Master of Union Uodge, No 10, A. F. and A. 
M. ; mend^er of Pawtucket Royal Arch Chapter, 
No. 4 ; Past T. I. M. of Pawtucket Council, No. 
2, R. and .S. Masters; member of Holy vSepul- 
chre Connnandery, Rhode Island Consistory, 
A. A. Scottish Rite; Palestine Temple, A. A. 
O. N. M. S., Providence, R. \. He is also a 
member of Enterprise Eodge, I. (). (). I'.; 



Hlackstone Ivncampment ; a Past Sachem and 
charter member of the Red Men ; belongs to 
the United Workmen, Knights of Honor, 
Knights of Pythias, the Pawtucket Business 
Men's Association, the Pawtucket Veteran 
Firemen's Association, and is an associate mem- 
ber of Tower Post, O. A. R. 

He was married in Novendier, 1866. to 
Rlioda \. v. Tefft of Natick. R. I., by which 
union there were four children : Christopher ().. 
Justin C. Charles V . . Silas H. His first wife 
die<l 1S7',, and he was married again in 1.S77 to 
Miss I,i//ie DeWitt. P.y the last marriage 
there were three children : Ralph DeWitt, 
Laurie K., and Bessie. Mr. Ha\ens now 
resides at 468 Pawtucket avenue. 

HAVENS. William D. S., son of William 
and Alniira W. (Hale) Havens, was l)orn in 
Warwick, R. 1., in 1823. His family has 
resided in Rhode Island for several generations 
and has been jirominent in manv wa\s. His 
lather was l)orn in North Kingstown, R. I., 
where he was a pronunent citizen, but came to 
Pawtucket early in life and engaged in the 
cotton manufacture. William D. S. went to 
schoiil in Pawtucket and finished his education 
at the Hobart Academy, Pawtucket. At the 
age of 17 he left school and then was a clerk in 
several retail establishments in Pawtucket. 
When 22 years of age he formed a partnership 
with his father in the grocery business on East 
a\enue. The store was afterwards carried on 
at otlier locations, but princi])ally in the old 
l,el"a\dur block, Main street. The business 
was prosperous. In iS7.s Mr. Havens bought 
out his father's interest and then conducted the 
business with success nntil 1885, when he 
sold out the the stock and retired from business. 
He always carried the finest goods and received 
the jiatronage of the wealthy clas.ses. He now 
lives a retired life and spends his time between 
his residences in Pawtucket and Warwick, R. 
I. In ])olitics Mr. Havens was originally a 
Whig but has been a Republican since the 
nriganization of that parly. He was a member 
of the town council of North Providence, and 
afterwards was a councilman in Pawtucket, 
after the two towns were consolidated. He was 



344 



I IJ.rSTRATlvl) HISTORY O !■ P.WVT T C K I'. T. 



collector of taxes in North Providence for seven 
years. He is a charter member of llie I'aw- 
tucket Business Men's Association, an<l lias 
been a member of the executive conunitUe 
since its organization. He is a trustee of the 
Pawtucket Institute for Savings. In 1S46 
he was married to Mary R. Newconib of 
Boston, who is descended (roni a well-know 11 
and long-li\etl faniilx . Mr. Havens is remark- 
ably well preserxed Inv liis \ears. is as j<>ll\' as 
a boy, and enjoys life hi>;hly. 

HAY, James H., son of David IIa\- and 
Ann (Shields) Hay, was born in Olasgow, 
Scotland, Feb. 9, 1840. He came in 1842 with 
his parent.s from Scotland to Pro\-idence, where 
they resided until i.Sso, when the\- remo\ed to 
Pawtucket, where James H. has ever since 
resided. He attended the ])ublic schools, but 
left when quite young t" go to work in a cotton 
mill, where he workeil until about iShci. At 
that time he wvul to work lor William H. Has- 
kell, now the W. 11. Haskell Co., but left in 
1861 to enlist in tlie 2d Rhode Island \'olun- 
teers, Comi)anv I'., on Ma\' ist; he was mus- 
tered into actual sen'ice Aug. i, 1861, and was 
honorably discharged Dec. 5, 1862. In iSfij; he 
went to work for the Providence Tool Compan\ 
on government work. In 1865 he began lo 
work for Kales & Jenks, and continued in the 
em])loy of that firm until Sept., 1867, when he 
went to work for N. P. Hicks in the ring tra\- 
eller manufacture in the old Slater Mill. In 
187 1 the name of the lirm was changed to ¥,. 
Jenckes & Co., ncjw ilie !•',. Jenckes Manufac- 
turing Co., with which concern he continued 
until 1893. June I, 1893, he started in business 
on his own account under the name of James H. 
Hay & Co., manufacturers of the United States 
Standard Ring Travellers, in The Adam .Sut- 
cliffe Co. building on Leather avenue. 

Mr. Hay was married in Providence, Aug. 
26, 1865, to Mary A. Burton of Blackburn, 
England, by Rev. A. H. Granger, of the Fourth 
Baptist church. Providence. By this marriage 
there are seven children, five girls and two 
boys, all of whom are living ; two married 
daughters and five grandchildren. The names 
of the sons and daughters are : Mrs. James A. 



Perry, Mrs. iMed II. Chatterton, James I-Aerett 
Hay, Marguerite A. Hay, Maude C>. Hay, 
Mabel L. IIa>-, John Burton Hay. The grand 
children are : J. Wheaton Perry, Gladys E. 
Perry, Ruth A. Perry, .\llen H. Chatterton, 
and Lincoln I'". Chatterton. 

HAYES, Patrick E., .son of Patrick and 
Catherine (Walsh) Hayes, was born in Holy- 
oke, Ma.ss., Nov. 16, 1848. He attended St. 
Mary's parochial school, Pawtucket, until his 
15th year, when he went to work in the mills of 
the Union Wadding Co., and continued to labor 
there until March, iS'^),S. Being too young to 
be accejited as a volunteer, he joined the regu- 
lar armv, enlisted in Co. IL ,^d Battalion, 15th 
V. S. Infantry, and was stationed at b'ort 
Adams, Newport. Just after the close of the 
war of the rebellion his company joined the 
regiment at Lookout Mountain, antl he after- 
waids was stationed at .Mobile, Ala., and 
Macon, Ga., as clerk in the adjutant general's 
department. He senetl under Generals Pope, 
Ruger and Meade, and was stationed at Atlanta, 
Ga., during the reconstruction period. He 
served his entire ])eriod of enlistment and was 
discharged March, iSri.S, being at that time 
clerk in the adjutant general's department at 
the headquarters of Gen. Meade in Atlanta, Ga. 
In 1869 he returned to the ITnion Wadding Co. 
and was successively promoted from one ]iosition 
to another until in 1880 he became assistant 
superintendent, which office he has filled accept- 
ably to the ])resent time. 

In ])olitics Mr. Hayes is a Democrat. He 
was a member of the Pawtucket town council in 
1883 and 1885, and was one of the executive 
staff of Gov. John W. Davis in iS,S7 and iSSy, 
with the rank of i-olonel. He is a member of 
St. Mary's church, Pawtucket, of the Catholic 
Knights of America, the Knights of Columbus, 
and belongs to the Providence Athletic As.socia- 
tion and the Pawtucket Business Men's A.ssoci- 
ation. In 1873 he was married to Catherine E., 
daughter of Daniel and Ami Creamer (Canty), 
and they have five children: hMward J.. Mar- 
garet M., Catherine, Daniel and William. 

HAYWARD, Fred Arthur, was bom in 
Woonsocket, l'*eb. 16, 1859, and was the first 



BIOGRAPHIKS. 



345 



child ol SanuK-l II. and Avis Auyii.sla (Arnold) 
Hayward. ( )ii his uiuther's side he belongs to 
the well-known Arnold family of Woonsocket, 
and is of the tenth generation from William 
Arnold, one of Roger Williams's five comjian- 
ions in the original settlement of Providence. 
His line of descent is William, the first settler, 
Thomas, Richard, Richard, Daniel, Uriah, 
Daniel, and Hanson, the maternal grand hither 
of Mr. Hayward. 

Fred A. attended the public schools of his 
nali\e town until he was 14 years of age, when 
he became a clerk in the office of William R. 
Cook, and worked for him and his successors, 
Carroll & Talbott, for five j-ears. At the end of 
this period, in Juh', 1S7S, he went to work as 
clerk in the freight department of the Providence 
and Worcester railroad at Pawtucket, and was 
promoted to be freight collector for Pawtucket, 
ill which position he handled hundreds of thous- 
ands of dollars. In 1S81 he was appointed chief 
ticket clerk at the passenger station, and on the 
death of his uncle, Daniel R. Arnold, succeeded 
him as ticket agent at Pawtucket for the New 
York, Providence and Boston railroad. This 
position he still holds for the present corpora- 
tion. Mr. Hayward is a Republican. He 
belongs to the Barney Merry Lodge of Masons, 
of which from 1888 to the present time he has 
been secretary, and is a member of Pawtucket 
Royal Arch Chapter, Holy Sepulchre Com- 
mander}', and Providence Lodge of Perfection. 
He \yas married in 1884 to Charlotte Emily, 
daughter of John A. Moore, of Providence, R. L 
They have two children. Avis Augusta, b. Dec. 
1885 ; Fred A., b. Oct., 1888. 

HODGES, Frank B., superintendent of the 
Dunnell Manufacturing Co., was born in Paw- 
tucket in 1854. He is the son of William and 
Harriot L. (Horton) Hodges, and spent his 
boyhood in Fall River and Newport, in which 
places he obtained his education in the public 
schools. In 1876 he entered the Dunnell print- 
works with a determination to master the busi- 
ness. He learned to be a machine printer, 
familiarized himself with the other departments, 
and in 1880 was installed as foreman of the 
printing department. This position he filled 



with entire satisfaction until 1893 when he was 
appointed general superintendent of the works, 
and now has under his control 700 employees. 

In politics Mr. Hodges is a Republican, 
and has served on the Pawtucket city committee, 
but has repeatedly declined j)ublic honors. 

HOLLIDAY, William Merrick, the ninth 
child of J<ihn White and Martha (Heritage) 
Holliday, was born in Paris, Ky., Sept. 7, 
1 866. Hl- attended school in his native town, 
and when 14 years old went to work in his 
father's carriage factory. He then was em- 
ployed for some years on a stock farm, where 
he became familiar with hor.ses and learned to 
be a very capable and efficient horse trainer. 
Leaving this employment he went to Milwaukee 
in November, 1886, and had charge of a riding 
academy for a year. In 1887 he came to 
Pawtucket, w-ent to work for McNally Bros., 
248 Main street, and was given charge of the 
department for the sale of hor.ses. vSeptember, 
1890, he went to work for the Troj' Steam 
Laundry, and in November, 1895, purchased a 
third interest in the business. Much of the 
present success of the laundry is due to Mr. 
Holliday's energy. 

HOOD, John P., senior meiidjer of the firm 
of J. N. Polsey & Co., box manufacturers, was 
born Feb. 7, 1851, in that part of Pawtucket 
which was then in Massachusetts, but has since 
become incorporated into Rhode Island. On 
his father's side he is of Scotch-Irish descent, 
his grandfather, Joseph Hood, having come to 
this country from County Down, Ulster, Ireland, 
in 1810, and settled at Pawtucket, where he re- 
mained until the day of his death. Joseph 
Hood in early life was in the employment of 
Samuel Slater. He was a great Bible student 
and was among the earlie.st and most diligent of 
the .scholars who attended the Sunday .school 
started by Samuel Slater, which was the first in 
the United States. A few years later he mar- 
ried Anne Garzee, a de.scendant of one of the 
old colonial families. 

The eldest child of this union was Joseph 
Garzee Hood, born in 1814. He was a man of 
industry and perseverance, and gradually rose 
to be superintendent of the cotton mills in which 



346 



I 1,1, U STRATI' II HISTORY ( ) !■• RAW T r C K Iv T. 




JOHN P. HOOD, 

. N. POLSEY & CO., BOX M 



he worked at Pawtiicket. In 1S37 he married 
Melissa Ciaskill whose family were residents of 
Pawtuckct. To them seven children were born, 
of which nundjer five still li\e. The sexenth 
and youngest of these children is John R. Hood. 
Through the death of his father in very earl\- 
life he was left dependent on his own resources 
for a living, and at the age of 12 years young 
Hood left the public schools of Central Falls to 
enter the spool works of R. iS: ('.. Cuslnnan, now 
The Atwood, Craw ford Co., where he worked six 
years. After severing his connection llure he 
engaged with the Conant Thread Co., now J. I'vi 
P. Coats, (Limited). With this com])an\ he 
remained for two years. ,\t the age of 20 he 
went into the box factory of J. N. Polsey (S: Co. 
For the ne.xt six years he acted as bookkee]Kr 



I if the firm and his services during that 
time was marked 1)\- such diligence and 
aiiplieulinn to business that in 1S77 he 
was adniilled In partnership, the lirm 
name remaining the same as before. 
Through the efforts of .Mr. Hood the 
business was greath' extended, and a 
large trade in small loekcornei' boxes 
was secured tliroughout New luiglaud. 
the Middle, and Western states. 

h'or ten \ears after his admission 
there was no change in the membershij) 
of the firm. On the death of J. N. Pol- 
sex in iS.Sj Mr. Hood succeeded to the 
business and admitted his brother-in-law 
Le.ster I. MathewMiu as a mend)erol the 
firm. Tliese two gentlemen bought the 
entire inlere.st of all concerned and be- 
came the sole owners under the former 
firm name of J. N. Polse\- ..X: Co., which 
the>- still retain. 

The business, which is now in sncli 
a flourishing condition, was begun in a 
small wa\- b\' Luther & Ashton, in a 
building that was located on the " ( )ld 
Fishing Rock," sometimes known as 
" Shad Rock " — situated just lielow the 
granite bridge. In late years this rock 
has been blasted away to a great extent, 
anil on llie spot where once the old box 
factory was now stands the large modern 
brick power station of the Pawtucket Electric 
Co. Luther & Ashton were succeeded in 1S57 
b\' Jacob N. Polsey, who established the busi- 
ness on a successful foundation. 

In 1872 the business demanded more room 
and the present commodious quarters were 
erected on Bayley street. Here a railroad 
frontage and .spur tracks were obtained which 
are of marked advantage, facilitating the Inuul- 
ling of Inmlier to a great extent. The main 
building is tlnxe stories high and 140 by 40 leet 
in dimensions. In addition there are spacious 
sheds for the storage of lumber. .Since 1.S77 
the Inisiness has rapidly grown and is no longer 
local as the firm snj)])lies boxes of a certain 
nature in large quantities to all of the large 
eastern cities and sends them as far west as 





JAMES H. HAY, 



PATRICK E. HAYES, 
ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT Uh 








FRED A. HAYWARD, 



FRANK B. HODGES, 

SUPERINTENDENT DUNNELL MANUFACTURING C 





OREN S. NORTON, 

SUPERINTENDENT OF STREET LIGHTING 1 



348 



I LH'STR ATIvI) HISTORY ( ) I' 1' AW T T C K IvT. 



Chicago aiul Si. Louis. In coinicctioii with llii.- 
inamifacturiiij; i)laiit, large saw mills are oper- 
ated in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, where 
the firm owns extensive woodlands. .Several 
million feet of hunher are used anuuallw All 
the late.st improved machinery is used in the 
factory and ahout 50 hands are enii)lo>ed. 

Mr. Hood is a Republican in politics and 
though often solicited to run for ofllce lias 
always refused. He is a inenil)er of the h'irst 
Baptist church and also one o( the charter mem- 
bers of the Pawtucket Business Men's Associa- 
tion. In 1S77 he was married to Vella Mathew- 
son, the sister of his present partner, and tliey 
have four children one girl and three boys, the 
youngest, .\rtliur W'., being nine years of age, 
and the oldest, John Laurence, eighteen, is now 
in college. 

Mr. Hood occupies a handsome lesidence on 
Cottage street, which he had built to suit his own 
plans and convenience. It is at his home that 
he spends most of his time when not engaged in 
the duties ol his business, for he finds pleasure 
in his own famil\ . Mr. Hood is a straightfor- 
ward business man, iHsliking publicity, but 
willin;^ to do liis share for the general welfare. 
He is fund of traxx-l and it is in this manner 
tliat lie fre(|ueiitl\' spends much of his vacation, 
having joiirnexed exteiisi\-ely over the different 
sections of the I'nited States and Eurojjc. 

HORTON, Frederick A., agent of the Cum- 
berland Mills Co., was born in Central Falls, 
May 10, 1847, and is the oldest son of Darius 
and Mercy (Crowell) llorlcm. b'tir a number 
of generations the Hortons have been a numer- 
ous and active family in Swansea and Rehoboth, 
Mass. Frederick's father and grandfather were 
natives of Swansea, and both were masons and 
contractors. His mother's family, the Crowells, 
came originally from Yarmouth, Cape Cod. 
Frederick went to the public schools in Central 
Falls until he was 16 years old, and then took 
a two years' course at Scholfield's Commercial 
College, Providence. 

At the age of iS he went to work in the 
grocery store of K. B. Averill, Central Falls, 
but only remained a short time. I-'rom 1.S65 to 
1870 he was bookkeeper for Wes.son & Phillips, 



l'i"o\idence, and held like positions with James 
Phillips from 1870 to 1875: with the .\iiiericaii 
Steam (iaugeCo., Boston, Mass., for four months, 
1S75-6; and with the Stafford Manufactuiiiig 
Co.. Central Falls, from 1.S76 to iS.Sj. Whik- 
with the latter coiiipaii\' he made a stud\- of the 
manufacture of yarn and thread, obtained an 
excellent practical experience, and as a result was 
appointed superintendent of the extensixe mills 
(it the corporation at Ceiilrul I'alls in 1SS2. 
This |)ositi<)n he held until 1.S89, when he 
became agent for the Cumberland Mills Co., 
with which concern he has remained until the 
present. Mr. Horton is a careful, conservative 
busine.ss man. His years of experience in the 
various concerns he has been with has widened 
his outlook on affairs so that lie is prepared for 
the emergencies that arise in manufacturing. 
An account of these mills, wliicli now stand on 
the site of one of the first coltuii spinning mills 
ill .\iiierica, can be found on ])age 14:;. 

In pcilitics Mr. Ilorluii is a Re])ublicaii, 
but has never helil olTice. He is a iiuiuber of 
Jeiiks Lodge, No. 24, A. F. and A. M.. Cen- 
tral Falls; Pawtucket Royal Arch Chapter: Paw- 
tucket Council, R. and S. Masters ; and Hol\- 
vSepulchre Connnandery. Jan. i.S, 1S71, he 
was married to Ennice C. Ide, of Pawtucket, 
but she died Feb. 1874, in child-birth, leaving a 
child, Eunice Ida, b. Feb. 6, 1874, who still 
survives. Jan i, 18S5, he was married in Cen- 
tral Falls to Sarah R. Ordvvay of Eliot, Me. 

HORTON, Oren S., was born in Rehoboth, 
Mass., Sept. 5, 1823, and was the sixth child of 
Benjamin and Betsey (Bliss) Horton. He 
attended the public schools until he was 15 
years old, then worked at farming until 1851, 
when he came to Central I'alls, secured a posi- 
tion with S. C. Peirce, manufacturer of confec- 
tionary, learned the business, and remained 
with him for eight years. In 1861 in company 
willi .M . P.. Arnold he purchased his employer's 
business and conducted it under the firm name 
of M. B. Arnold c\: Co. until iSyo, when he 
dis])osed of his interest. 

.Mr. Horton was \-ery active in political 
affairs and held maiu' public offices. He was a 
member of the town council of Pawtucket for 



p. I ()(• 



A I'll I IvS. 



349 



cii^lU \x-ars and servx-d on llu- lirsi hnaid dI 
aldcTiiiL-ii wliLai I'awtuckcl was iiu-orpdiale-d as 
a cit\-. He was t-leeted lo the legislature in 
iSyT) aller one dI the most exciting political 
contests in the history of Pawtucket, and it 
took three daj'S to decide the election. In 1S92 
he was elected superintendent of street lighting, 
wliich position he held until his death, Oct. 26, 
I Sy5. While filling this office he also conducted 
a real estate business, devoting his time chiefly 
to the management and settlement of intricate 
matters connected with large estates. Mr. 
llorton was a life-long and active Republican. 
Under the old \-olunteer regime he was for iiS 
years in the fire department and took an active 
jiart in the organization of the Pawtucket 
W'teran F'iremen's Association. Sept. 5. 1843, 
he was married to Lx'dia S. Cxreen of South 
King.ston, K. I., by which union there are four 
children: Harriet li., (reorge P., Frederick R., 
and Arthur P. 

HORTON, Otis H., son of Otis M. and 
Caroline Elizabeth (Spicer) Horton, was born 
at Stafford Springs, Conn., in iS4,v 'Phe 
Hortons have resided in Southern Massachu- 
setts and Rhode Island for several generations, 
and trace their descent to one of the early 
English immigrants who landed in New luig- 
land soon after the time of the first settlement of 
Plymouth. The father of Otis H. was l)orn in 
Rehoboth, was a farmer originalU', but learned 
to be a mason and removed to Griswold, Conn., 
where he engaged in the building liusiness. 
Otis spent his boyhood in Jewett Cit\-, Conn. , and 
received his schooling there. At the age of 12 
he entered the Slater Cotton Manufacturing Co. 
at Jewett City. He became an expert spinner 
and worked in those mills until he was 17, when 
he enlisted in Co. H, 5th Connecticut, and went 
to the war. He was in the army of the Potomac 
and saw acti\e service in many important bat- 
tles, including Winchester, Chancellors\ine, 
(iettxsburg, the Second Bull Run, Cedar 
Mountain, Antietam, Lookout Mountain and 
man\- others. He was in Sherman's march to 
the sea, was in North Carolina when Gen. Lee 
surrendered, and look part in the trium])hant 
march northward to Washington. Althougli 



serving all through the war he never was in 
hospital or off duty for a day. 

After the war he relumed home, and until 
i.SSi was overseer of spinning in the mills at 
Jewett City. In 1882 he became an overseer in 
the Grinnell mills, New Bedford. In i.Syo he 
came to Pawtucket and became overseer of the 
ring spinning department of the Slater Cotton 
Co., which position he has since held. He has 
over 125 hands under his control and is respon- 
sible for the department. In politics Mr. 
Horton is a Republican. He belongs to the 
Knights of Pythias. He was married in 1.S72 to 
Cynthia M. Rathbun of Jewett City. Conn., by 
which union there have been two children : 
Charles O., b. in Jewett City, d. July, 1879; 
lu'a M., 1). in New Bedford, Mass., now living. 

HOWE, Dr. George J., of Central Falls, is 
of English ancestry, and is the son of George 
Howe and Margaret (Conway) Howe. His 
parents came to Providence in 1865. His father 
is a mechanic and in\entor, and lives in Provi- 
dence. Cieorge J. was born in Providence, Dec. 
22, 1868, and is the fifth child and first son. 
He received his education in the public schools 
of Providence and at LaSalle Academy, from 
which he graduated when 19 years of age. He 
iletermined to become a physician, and .studied 
in the office of Dr. S. vS. Burton, one of the 
leading physicians of Providence, for one year, 
when he entered the College of Physicians and 
Surgeons at Baltimore. His aim was to become a 
thoroughly good physician, skilled in all branches 
of the profession. He was graduated from col- 
lege in 1892 and ;it once opened an office in 
Central Falls, at No. 15 Central street. Here 
he built uj) a large and lucrative practice. In 
1894 he moved into a larger office at the corner 
of Central and High streets. Central F'alls. Dr. 
Howe is a skilled surgeon as well as physician. 
He is a member of the Rhode Island Medical 
Society, the Providence Medical Association, 
and the Pawtucket Medical Association. He is 
also a memlier of Pocasset Tribe, Red Men, 
Central I'alls. 

HUGHES, Thomas F., son of Thomas and 
Mary (F'arrell) Hughes, was Ijorn at Black- 
stone, Mass., in iS^s. His father came from 



ILLUSTR ATlvO lllSTOKN" t ) !• 1' A W'lM'C K IvT. 



liL-huuI in iS4(>, SL-ttk-(l at Hlacksioiu- ami li\<.-(l 
tlii-iL- until his ik-atli. Tlionias !•". attended 
school until he was lo \eais old, when he went 
to work in the mill at Hlackstone. In Se])t. 
1S67, the faniil\- mo\-ed to Albion, K. I., where 
he lived for four years. Then he came ti> \'alle\- 
Kails and worked a short time in the mills at 
\'alle\- h'alls and Lonsdale, when he left the 
mill and learned lo be a barber. .\lter workini^ 
four years at this trade he started a dr\- j;oods, 
boot, shoe, and millinery store at \'alle\- Kalis, 
on Hroad street. !'>> strict attention to business 
he built up a good trade, and eight years later 
he disposed of his stock and opened a grocerj^ 
store on the corner of Hroad and Titus streets, 
where he continued until the fall of 1895, when 
the increase of trade demanded more suitable 
quarters, which he secured by building a new 
block with quarters for his business on the 
ground floor and tenements in the upper stories. 
The business is now very extensive and pros- 
perous and Mr. Hughes has accumulated by its 
means considerable property. He is a Demo- 
crat in ])olitics, and has held many offices, 
having served on the school connnittee for three 
3'ears, was town auditor for three years, and 
also represented the town of Cumberland in 
the General Asseniblw He is a member of 
the Koresters, also a member of the Catholic 
Knights of America, and was jiresident of Kane 
Branch, No. 472, for seven years consecutively. 
He belongs to St. Patrick's Catholic church. 
Valley Kalis. In if^77 he was married lo 
Harriet Carey of Valley I'alls. 

HUMES, Albert H., was born in Pawtucket, 
Jan. 29, 1S64, and received his education in the 
public schools of his native town and at »Schol- 
field's Commercial College, Providence. At the 
age of 1 7 he Ijecame a student in the office of Wil- 
liam R. Walker & Son, architects. Providence, 
and remained there seven years. In the sum- 
mer of 188S he opened an office as an architect 
in Central Kails, but in the winter of 1S94 he 
removed to Music Hall building, Pawtucket, 
where he has since remained. Among some of 
the buildings designed by him may be mentioned : 
Oarfield street schoolhouse, Kendall street fire 
station, Mrs. Sarah J. Durfee's residence, Ben- 



jamin 1*'. (i. I^innell's residence, and .\Ianson P. 
WcKid's residence, Central Kails: Hon. Lucius 
I). Darling's summer residence, Chatham, .Mass. ; 
the residences of Dr. J. H. Jerauld and A. T. 
Parker, North Attleliom, Mass: the residences 
of John P. Hood, Lester I. .Mathewson, Walter 
11. .Stearns, and Lucius 1!. Darling, Jr.. Paw- 
tucket: and tlu- summer houses of James U. 
MacCoIl. Charles \i. Pervear and .\rthur 15. 
Mann, Shawoniet I'.each, R. I. 

Mr. Humes is a niend>er ol the Pawtucket 
Business Men's Association. He belongs to 
Jenks Lodge, No. 24, .\. h". and A. M.; Paw- 
tucket Council, Ron al and Select Masters, No. 
2; Pawtucket Rcjyal Arch Chapter, No. 4: and 
Holy Sepulchre Commander}-, No. 8. He was 
married to Jennie Haird Russell, Dec. 15, i88y, 
at Saylesville, R. I. 

HUNT, Daniel A., was born at Hunt's 
Mills, Seekonk (now Kast Providence), Nov. 12, 
1839, and was the .second child of Daniel Ide 
and Nancy Waterman (Winsor) Hunt. ( )n his 
mother's side he is descended from Roger Wil- 
liams. The Hunt family is descended from 
Peter Hunt, one of the first settlers of Rehoboth. 
The father of Daniel A. started a cotton mill 
at Hunt's Mills on the Ten Mile ri\er in 1S22, 
and at this ])lace which had been founded by 
the family, there were in 1836, besides the cotton 
factory, a grist mill and a fulling mill. Daniel 
A. attended the Seekonk schools, and when his 
parents moved to Warren he attended the high 
school there, from which he was graduated with 
honors. He then entered the employ of the 
Providence Tool Co. as a boy in the packing 
room, and was successively promoted until he 
reached the position of agent, which he held 
until 1S82, when he was chosen agent of the W. 
H. Haskell Co. at Pawtucket. He has since 
been the outside man of that compans-. emi)Ioy- 
ing 120 men. The output under his management 
has increased largely and the concern has pros- 
]iere(I. Mr. Hunt is a .stockholder in the 
coni])an\ . Ik- belongs to St. John's Lodge of 
Ma.sons, the West Side Club, the .\thletic .Vsso- 
ciation, and the Light lnfantr\- X'eterans, all of 
Providence. In 1865 he was married to Annie 
Hv-ans, daughter of Duty Kvans. The issue of 



I I, I, US' 



ATI'. I> llISTol-lV ol'" I'AWTrCK Iv T. 



this union were : ])aiiiel A. Jr., wlm was reci-nth' 
drowned: Herbert ICvans, Aliie Winsor Irvint;, 
(^wen, and Stephen Foster. 

JACKSON, David, was Imrn in Lancashire, 
Ivn^hind, March 2, 1S47, and was the fourth 
chiUl of Robert and Ivli/abeth (Beaumont) 
Jackson. His ]iarents came to America in 
1855 and settled in W'oonsocket , wliere David 
alternatel_\' worlced in a mill and attended the 
pul)lic schools until he was 10 >ears of age. 
When he was liS he entered the machine shop 
of the Harris Woolen Co., of Woonsocket, as 
an apprentice. Having served his time he 
secured enipl()> nient in the shop of James S. 
Brown of I'awtucket, where he worked until he 
obtained a better position with the Fales & 
Jenks Machine Co. In iS.Sy he left tliat concern 
to organize a company for the manufacture of 
shell rolls under his patents for spinning ma- 
chiner\ , etc. The business was incorporated 
un<ler the name of The Jackson Patent Shell 
Roll Co., with Dasid Jackson as president and 
manager. 

The advantage of this device over the old 
rolls used for spiiniing became apparent at once, 
and created a demand for the shell rolls in ever\- 
mill in the country. The>- can be adjusted to 
all kinds of spinning frames, and they greatlj' 
facilitate the work besides cheapening the cost 
and improving the quality of the product. 
Besides this Mr. Jackson has brought out many 
other patents. His improved lubricators for 
shafting, speeder spindles and pulleys, are 
largely used. To his production he has added 
many small tools, the manufacture of which his 
company is now engaged in. The Jackson Patent 
vShell Roll Co. is the only establishment in this 
country engaged in this line of work. 

The industry was started in the Cole Bros, 
machine shop, in a room 12 by 12. After going 
through all the trials incident to placing a new- 
device on the market the increase of the busi- 
ness made a removal necessary and the ])resent 
.shops on Bagley street, in the rear of Mineral 
Spring avenue, were engaged. 

Mr. Jackson is a Republican. He is a 
mendjer of the Pawtucket Business Men's Asso- 
ciation, and a prominent mason. He attends 



the jiajitist church. June 15. ts-ji, lu- was 
married to Clara .M . I'.ucklin of I'awtucket, b\- 
wliicii union there is one child. l,uc\- Wilbur. 

JACKSON, Walter H., wasb-nn in JolniNton, 
R. I., Nov. 7, iSyc, and is the second child of 
Jo.se])h k. and 'I'ir/ali (Moss) Jackson. While 
yet in infanc\' his famil\ renio\-ed to Danielson- 
ville, Conn., where he attended the pid)lic 
schools and was graduated from the high school 
when he was 17 \ears of age. He completed 
his education at the Worcester Polytechnic 
Institute. Coming to Pawtucket in 1.S91 he 
connected himself with the Jackson Patent 
Shell Roll Co., of which his uncle I)a\id 
Jackson was the founder and is the president. 
Walter was elected treasurer and continues in 
that cajiacity. The success of this business is 
due in a large degree to the careful financial 
management of Mr. Jackson and to his fine 
executive ability. In politics he is an Inde- 
pendent with a tendency toward Re]nd)lican 
principles. His father was born in Lancashire, 
I£nglan<l, in 1S40, and was descended from a 
family of machinists; he came to Woon.socket, 
where he married Miss Tirzah Moss ol I^anca- 
shire, Kng., and renioxed to Pro\idence and 
then to Johnston, I'v. I. 

JENKS, Charles M., son of Alfred B. and 
Hannah (Jackson) Jenks, was born in I'aw- 
tucket, Jan. 13, 1S57, and is a descendant in 
the eighth generation from the first settler of 
Pawtucket. His ancestors in the succe.ssive 
generations were: Josejih Jenks, Jr., Major 
Nathaniel, Nathaniel, Jr., Icabod, Levi, Le\-i, 
and Alfred. Charles attended the pul)lic schools 
until he was 15 years old, when he went to work 
for the R. Bli.ss Manufacturing Co., where he 
learned the business and is now lieail of the com- 
pany's finishing department. 

In politics he is a Repidilican. He was a 
mend)er of the city council in 1.S94-5 and was 
reelected for the terms of 1S96-7. He belongs 
to Union Lodge, A. V . and A. M., the Knights 
of Honor, and the Ro\al Arcanum. He is a 
mendier of St. Paul's lipiscopal church. In 
1876 he was married to Susie Iv. IJaker of Cen 
tral P'alls, daughter of Nathaniel C. and Susan 
M. Armington. B\' this union there are three 





LUCIUS B. DARLING, JR., 

ESIDENT OF THE L. B. DARLING FERTILt2 



ALEXANDER S. ARNOLD, 

EDITOR OF THE WEEKLY JOURNAL, CENTRAL FALLS. 





JOHN H. CLARK 
RETIRED GROCER. 



BENJAMIN F. G. LINNELL 

NO SECRETARY GREENE A DANIELS MANUFACTURING CO. 



354 



IM.T-STR ATi:n HISTORY O !• PAWTfCKICT. 



children: Gertrude A.. 1). March m, iSSi; 
Anna Ma>-, b. vSept. lo, 1S77 ; Henry Ir\in,ii, h. 
Oct. I, 18S7. He resides at Ihe Jenks home- 
stead, 15 Star street. 

JENKS, Frank R.. M. I)., the Imirth child 
i)f William H. and U\Uh A. (Alexander) Jenks, 
was born in Pawtnckel, Aj)ril 2j^^ i!^''5. and is 
descended in the seventh generation from Major 
Nathaniel Jenks, the second son <if the first 
settler of Pawtucket. He obtained his education 
in the Pawtucket public schools and when 19 
years old entered Brown ITniversity, where he 
studied two years. He finished his education 
at the New York Homeopathic Medical College, 
from which he was graduated in 1S91. He 
then returned to Pawtucket and began the 
practice of his profession. In 1894 he was 
elected city physician, health officer, and police 
.surgeon, which positions he now holds. Dr. 
Jenks also holds a certificate enabling him to 
practice medicine in New York .state, one of the 
mo.st rigid states in the Union regarding medical 
matters, but he has always preferred to practice 
in his native .state. 

He is a Republican, is a member of the 
Pawtucket Business Men's Association, a Free 
Mason, and is also a mend)er of the American 
Institute of Homeopathy, the Hahnemaunian 
Society of New York and the Pawtucket Medi- 
cal Society. June 14, 1894, he was married to 
Annie L. Thayer of Pawtucket, by whom he has 
one child, Richmond Thayer Jenks, born Oct. 
16, 1S95. 

JENKS, Henry F., inventor and manufac- 
turer, was born in Pawtucket, May 12, 1S37, 
and is a descendant in the seventh generation 
from Joseph Jenks, Jr., the first settler of Paw- 
tucket, and in the sixth generation from Gov- 
ernor Joseph Jenks. His ancestors in the 
succeeding generations were Capt. Nathaniel, 
John, George, and William T. Jenks. His 
grandfather, George Jenks, was born in Pr,)\i- 
dence, Nov. 26, 1757, and his father, William 
T. Jenks, was born in Pawtucket, Sept. 15, 
1795. His mother. Patience Hall, was a nalix'e 
of Harwich, Mass. 

Henry obtained his education in the public 
.schools. His mechanical education was begun 




HENRY F. JEMI- 



in Pawtucket. As he became familiar with the 
use of tools and the construction ol machinery, 
his inventive ability began to show itself in sev- 
eral minor improvements which he made to 
facilitate the work he had in hand. Xot being 
satisfied with the progress he was making in 
Pawtucket, he went to Providence and was 
employed at the Hope Iron Works in the con- 
.struction of engraving machinerj-. At this time 
the war cloud of the rebellion began to appear, 
the southern states were .seceding, and the 
demand for these machines ceased. He then 
went into the employ of William T. Nicholson 
(founder of the Nicholson File Co.) in Provi- 
dence, who was then nianulacturing gun ma- 
chinery. Here he leniaincd until 1.S66, with 
the exception of a few months' alisence in tlie 
army. Upon his return from the armv he took 
a contract from Mr. Nicholson for the manufac- 
ture of gun trinnnings. In iiSfis he inxenled 
and .secured a jiatent on the well-known Jenks 
window spring. Later a sho]) was started for 
their manufacture at Pawtucket. At the close 
of the war, owing to the cessation of the demand 
for arms, Mr. Jenks returned to the Hojiu Iron 
Works as department superintendent. This 







.; 




WHITMAN BATES 



FREDERICK BATES, 

D MERCHANT AND MANUFACTURER. 





ALLEN F. BRAY, 

FOUNDER OF THE FIRM OF A. F. 4 



FERDINAND BRAY, 
; A. F. » F. BRAY, HARDWARE DEALERS. 



.VS6 



I I, I.rSTR ATICI) IllS'l'ORV OF I'AW'rrC KICT. 



establislimenl was llicii largely engaged in llie 
construction of ship windlasses, steam engines, 
and general machinery. During this time he 
had ac(|iiired a broad ex])eriencc which d(.\cl- 
ojied that inventive genius, inlu-riled lioiii his 
ancestors, that has since enalikii him to lurnish 
many xahiable devices and mechanical contri 
vances calculated to reduce manual labor and 
materially add to the general comfort of 
humanilw In i Sri^ Mr. Jenks took charge of 
the I'awtucket sho]) and addeil his new inven- 
tions as they were ))erfected. In the manufac- 
ture of these he is engaged at the present time. 
A number ni them are in use, not onl\ in this 
country, but also in Kngland, Ckrmnn\ , Den- 
mark, Australia and vSwitzerland. .Vmoui; his 
specialties are street drinking fountains of dif- 
ferent styles, of his own desigu. 

Mr. Jenks became a iuend)er ol the I'aw- 
tucket lyight (luard soon after the fdrnialion of 
that company and filled the iiositicm of coriioral 
and sergeant. He served in the rebellion as 
captain of Co. II, yth R. I. \'., and was later 
promoti'd to be major and Heulenant-colnnel in 
the I'awtucket Light C.nard liatlalion. In 
Ma>-, i.SSi, he was appninted I'rovost M.irshal 
on the .staff of the brigade of the Rhode Island 
Militia, by (Governor Alfred H. Littlefield, with 
the rank of captain. He is a charter member of 
Tower Po.st, No. 17, Ct. A. R., and has occu- 
pied different positions in that organization — 
from Officer of the Da> to Dejiartment Com- 
mander. He has been a member of the I'aw- 
tucket Business Men's Association from its 
formation. He was a representati\e from 
Pawtucket to the deueral Assend)l\- in iSc^o 
and 1 89 1. 

Mr. Jenks was alwa\s dee])l\- interested in 
the progress of Pawtucket. Through his efforts 
the illuminated dial clock was placed on the 
Miller building in Main street S(piare. modern 
drinking fountains were ]>lace(l in conwnieut 
places about the cit\-, and with him originated 
the idea and plans for celebrating the one hun- 
dredth anniversary of the successful introduc- 
tion of cotton spinning in America by Samuel 
Slater, which occurred in iSgo. He also de- 
signed an appropriate monument to conunem- 



orati.' this anni\-ersary. It is to be regretted 
that this I'.ionunient or seme other was not 
erected during the celebration. 

Dec. 12, 1.S71, Mr. Jenks was married to 
Mary J. Cleveland., adnpted dau.^hter of Dr. 
Hiram Cle\-eland of I'awtuiket. The\- have 
three children: Hiram, b. Aui;. 21, i''^74: 
Charles I'rancis, b. .Aug. 17. 1S7.S: .and Doniihs-. 
b. May ,V), iS,S2. 

JENKS, James L., the .-ion of John .\. and 
Martha (Conner) Jenks, was born in \'alle>- 
h'alls, in what was then the old town of Smith- 
field, A[)ril 15, iiS5,s, and is a descendant in the 
seventh generation from Jos(.])li Jenks, Jr., the 
first settler of I'awtucket, and in the sixth .gen- 
eration from Coxernor Jose])h Jenks. His line 
of descent in succeeding generations from fatlier 
to Son is : Captain Nathaniel, Joseph, Iv])hraim, 
Hosea, and John A. 

His mother was l>orn in the Northof Ireland, 
near the cit\' of liellast in i''~',>2, and came to 
this countr\- with her mother about the >ear 
iN4N : she came of old vScotch Covenanter stock, 
her mother Janet liaird coming from the low- 
lands of .Scotland, while her father was a 
natixe of the Scottish highlands. ]!oth mother 
and grandmother were ])ersons of more than 
usual mental x'igor, being wide readers and 
])ossessed of unusuall\' retenti\'e memories. 

James I., attended the jiublic schools of 
\'alley b'alls and the Lonsdale high school, 
and was graduated from the I'awtucket high 
school in the class of 1^79. In i.S.So he entered 
I5rown University, graduating therefrom in the 
year 1SS4 with the degree of Bachelor of 
I'hiloso].hy. 

After studying law in the office of Nathan \V. 
Littlefield, Esq., he was admitted to ])ractice in 
h'ebruary. 1S.S7. He at once o|)ened an office 
in I'awtucket and soon de\eloped an excellent 
general jiiactice. In jiolitics Mr. Jenks is a 
Ke])nblican but not a radical. 

I'"or se\eral years he ser\-ed as coroner of 
I'awtucket, and he represented the city in 
the C.eneral Assembly for two years, 1892 and 
1 89,^. He was elected city solicitor in February, 
i.Si/'i. Mr. Jenks has been for manx' \ears and 
still is secretarx' of the I'axvtiu-kel ISusiness 



Hioc; k A I'll I I'S. 



357 



Men's Association, and is a nu-niher and treas- 
urer of the Pleasant \'i(.-\v liaplisl clinrch. Ik- 
is also a member of Chickering I,od<;e, Kmi^lils 
III I'ylhias. Ill March. iSyi, he was iiiairie<l to 
Ma_\-, dan,i;hler of Rev. lulwiii liromley, of tin- 
Stewart .Street Haptist church. l'ni\idence. 

JENKS, Pardon, was horn in I'awtiicket, 
in i>i4.i. died April 4, 1S92. and was buried in 
the Mineral S])rinL; ceiiieler\-. }Ie was ihe 
son (if I'arddii Jeiiks. who dieil in iS-s, the 
i^randson of "Uncle" Pardon, who died in 
1S61. and was desceiuled in the seventli genera 
tion Iroiii Jose]ih Jeiiks, Jr., tlie first settler of 
Pawtucket. through his second son Majcn- 
Nathaniel Jeiiks. He received his education in 
the public and private schouls of Pawtucket and 
then became interested in business with his 
father, at whose death he inherited one-fifth of 
the " Xew Mill " estate on Main street, at the 
west end of the bridge. This estate is a jiart of 
the original sixt\- acres first bought b\' Josejih 
Jenks, Jr., in i(i-[. and had l>een in this branch 
of the family from the death of the first settler. 
Tlie residence of " Uncle " Pardon Jenks stood 
on the river bank a slnnl distance lielow the 
bridge, a little norih nf the present location of 
the power house, and was in existence within 
the memory of persons now li\"ing. 

Pardon Jenks like many of his ancestors 
spent his life in Pawtucket. He was a (juiet 
and industrious citi/.eii. During the war of the 
rel)elIion he went to the front with the iith 
Rhode Island Regiment. He was a Democrat 
and represented Pawtucket in tlie U.eneral 
Assembly for several terms. P.elow the falls 
has from the earliest times been a famous place 
for fi.shing, and Mr. Jenks was an enthusiastic 
devotee of the sport to be found there. He 
could frequently be seen in the seasons, net or 
line in hand, fishing from the old " F'ishing 
Rock." He was married in October, i86iS, to 
I'.li/.a J. Curran. Four children were born to 
t'.iem — three daughters and a son. Three died 
in childhood, and one daughter siir\i\es, Ida 
ly., tlie wife of Thomas Iv Berry. 

JENKINSON, John, tlie son of John and 
Abigail (Oldfield) Jeiikins(m, was born in 
Dewsbury, Yorkshire, luiglaiid. Dec. 7, 1870. 



His ])arents came to this country from luigland 
in 1S72 and settled in PavvluckeL. He attended 
the Pawtucket ])nblic schools until he was 
lourteen years old when he went to work for the 
Pawtucket Steam & ('.as Pi])e Co., wliere lie 
remaiiied fi\e vears. I'"or one year he had 
charge of the core-making department of the 
Rhode Island Locomotive Works, and then was 
foreman of the Providence Brass Foundry, 
which ])osili(>n 1r- lield until March 1 1894, 
when he bought ciiil tlie brass fonndrv depart- 
ment ol the Pawtucket Steam i\: Oas Pipe Co. 
Mr. Jenkiiison's foundr_\- is 011 Jenks lane. 
He makes all kinds of light and lieavv brass 
castings, does work for ail the large factories, and 
employs several men. He attends Park Place 
Congregational church. Dec. 5. 1.^94. he was 
married to Grace L,. F'uller, and llie\' have one 
child, Nettie G., b. Oct. 3, 1S95. 

JILLSON, Oscar A., was born in Attleboro, 
Mass., July 25, 1S52, and is the second child of 
Albert C. and Clementine (Miller) Jillson. He 
attended the public schools of his native town 
until he was 14 >ears old, then went to the 
Woonsocket hi.gh school ami completed his 
education at .Scholfield's Commercial College, 
ProN'idence. His fir.st occu])ation was as clerk 
for James Orr of South Attleboro, with whom 
he remained six years. Then he engaged in 
the tri]ie and tallow business with F'rank I^. 
vShaw for one \ear, at the cud of which time he 
bought .Mr. Shaw out and continued the busi- 
ness alone lor si.x years. In iS.Si he joined 
Robert Bellew in the .Star Tanning Co., and 
has since C(jntinued a partner in that enterprise. 
The busine.ss was successful from tin.- first and 
is continually increasing. 

Mr. Jillson is a Re])iiblican. He is an 
attendant of the Ba])tist church, a member of 
the Pawtucket Business Men's Association, a 
Free Mason and an Odd Fellow. April 30, 
1884, he was married to Almeta J. Pearce, by 
which union there were two children, both of 
whom died in infancy. 

JONES, George VV.. son of Raymond Tyson 
and Charity Freeman ( Xoe) Jones, was born at 
West New Brighton, N. V.. Jan. 2, 1S53. He 
obtained his education in public and private 



ILLrSTR ATlvI) HISTORY OF I'AWTI'CKKT 



schools until he was sixteen years old. Ik- 
then entered the employ of the New York I)\e- 
ing and Printing estahlishinent as a clerk and 
overseer, and remained until iJSS^ when lie 
came to Pawtucket to take charge of the finish 
ing department of the Glenhoii I)\e Works at 
Saylesville, which position he now occupies. 
Mr. Jones is a Republican. He is a member of 
the Royal Society of Good T'ellows. He attends 
the Congregational church. Dec. lo, 1880, he 
was married to Harriette Robinson Macllvaine 
of Brooklxn, X. V., and by this union there 
were four children : Florence Robinson, b. F^eb. 
23, 1S82 ; Kvelyn Lawrence, b. Feb. 17, 1886; 
F.dward Raymond, b. Dec. i, iSS.**, d. Jan. 5, 
iSS(): Madeleine Willoughby. b. July 30, 1S90. 

Mr. Jones's family originated in Scotland 
and Wales, and the touiuler came to America 
in 1 61) I . His grandfather, Peter Jones, was b. at 
Port Richmond, X. Y., Feb. 9, 1747. and d. 
Nov. 4, 1S32, at West New Brighton. His 
grandmother, Mary Anne Houseman, was b. in 
Graniteville, N. Y., June 18, 1753, d. Dec. 3, 
1828, at Port Richmond. His father was b. 
Oct. 4, 1S23, at West New Brighton, and his 
niotlur .May 30, 1830, at Woodbridge, New 
Jersey, and lo them came nine children, all 
born ill the same house, at West New Brighton. 
Capt. Jacob Jones, commander of the " Wasp, " 
in the war of 181 2, was one of his ancestors. His 
wife is the daughter of Edward Robinson and 
Maria P.. (Lawrence) Macllvaine, and is a de- 
scendant of Capt. Lawrence, commander of the 
frigates "Hornet" and " Chesa])eake." The 
family dates back to William the Conqueror. 

JIJDSON, John Edwin, the oldest child of 
John Barnett and Isadora Charlotte (Merwin) 
Judson, was born in New Haven, Conn., June 22, 
1866. He was educated at Hillhouseschnol, Xew 
Haven, and at Yale University, from which he 
was graduated in 1885. Having prepared him 
self for the profession of civil engineer he w as 
employed for two years as division engineer on 
the New York, New Haven and Hartford Rail- 
road. In 1887 he came to Pawtucket and com- 
menced engineering business. He now conducts 
the largest engineering and surveying business 
in Pawtucket and one of the largest in Rhode 



Island. Mr. Judson is a member of St. Paul's 
F;piscopal church. He belongs to the Pawtucket 
Business Men's Association. He is also a mem- 
ber of the Rhode Island Society- of the .Sons of 
the .American Revolution. 

Dec I. i''^y2, he was married to Minnie 
Holmes at \'alle\" Falls, and they have one 
child, Helen Hulmes Judson, b. in Pawtucket, 
Nov. 30, 1893. Mr. Judson's first American 
ancestor was a native of Yorkshire, F'.nglaiid, 
and came to this country in 1634. 

KEENE, William Faitoute, cit\- engineer 
of Central Falls, son of Samuel S. and lilla 
(Faitoute) Keene, was born in Newark, N. J., 
Sept. 15, 1870. The Keene famih- have resided 
in this country for several generations. His 
father was a broker on the New York Stock 
Exchange. William F. received his schooling 
in private schools at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and 
Washington, Conn. He then took a four years' 
course in the Ma.ssachusetts Institute of Tech- 
nology, from which he was graduated in 1891, 
when he laecame first assistant engineer of the 
Inter.state Street railway, between Pawtucket 
and North Attleboro, and remained in this posi- 
until after the completion of the road. He then, 
in 1893, was engaged as assistant engineer of the 
town of Lincoln, and in Jan., 1894, was chosen 
town engineer. When Central Falls was incor- 
]5orated he was elected city engineer, which 
position he still retains. He designed and built 
the sewer system and has carried out man\- 
other improvements. As a ci\'il engineer he is 
capable and trustworthy. He is an associate 
member of the .\merican .Society of Ci\il 
luigineers, belongs to the Boston .Society of 
Civil Engineers, the Knights of the .\ncient 
Ivssenic Order, is a Free Mason, and in religion 
is an Episcopalian. F'eb., 1896, he was married 
to Lizzie F'lorence, the only daughter of the 
Hon. l'. F. OIne\' of Providence. 

KENDALL, Robert A., the son of 11 .\u 
gustns and Rebecca F" ranees (Abell) Kendall, 
was born Oct. 7, 1849, in Pawtucket, Mass. He 
traces his descent lo l-'rancis Kendall who was 
born in lingland, but came to this couiitr\ abmil 
1640, locating in Charlestown village, now 
Woburn, Mass. His grandfather, Xoah Ken- 




J 




DAVID JACKbClN, 



WALTER H. JACKSOM, 
ASURER THE JACKSON PATENT SMELL ROLL CO. 





WILLIAM F. HERRMANN 

MERCHANT TAILOR. 



JOHN JENKINSON, 





CHARLES H. JENKS, 
VERSEER FINISHING DEPARTMENT R. BLISS MFQ. CO 



FRANK R. JENKS, M.D. 
City PMysiciAN. 



36o 



I 1,1, r ST RATI'. 1> IIlSTokV ( ) !• I'AW '1' f C K I' T 



dall, was born April ii, 1775. :il Tcmiik-lon, 
Mass. His father was also l)()rn in T(.Miii)k'toii, 
April 10, 1S20, was for iiiaii\ \cais tlic landlord 
of the Mechanics hotel, I'awUukul, Mass., and 
died March 10, 1S51), in I'awluckcl, Mass. 
Robert attended the ])u!ilic schools of his native 
city and also Schollield's Conunercial College, 
Pro\-idence, Ironi which he was gradnated as a 
bookkeeper. He has been engaged in various 
business enterpri.ses and occupations, has been 
a bookkeeper, a clerk in a clothing store, and 
now conducts a restaurant and a cigar and 
tobacco store at 2Ji Main street, l^awtucket. 
He is a member ol Charles IC. Chickering 
Lodge, No, 20, K. ol 1'., and Union Division 
No. 4, rnilorni Rank, R. of 1'. He was mar- 
ried to lunnia h'rances .Stevens of Providence. 

KENT, George Warren, was born in Lons- 
dale, R. I., Oct. 5, 1.S44, and was the first child 
of Louis and l.ydia ( French ) Kent. He attended 
the public .schools of Pawtucket and Providence 
until he was 17 years old, when he enlisted 
under the call for nine months' service in the 
I ith Rliode Island Volunteers. ITpon his return 
from the front he completed his education at 
the Bryant & Stratton Business College, Provi- 
dence. His first occupation was in connection 
with western railroads. In 1865 he, in partner- 
ship with his uncle, Horace Kent, opened a 
wholesale and retail grain and flour .store in 
Central Falls, but soon after he disposed of his 
interest and went to Europe. He returned to 
Pawtucket in 1S67, and opened an office for the 
transaction of a connnission business in western 
flour and grain. His business steadily increased, 
and in 1875 he built a warehouse, rear of Odd 
Fellows building, Main .street. In 1894 the 
business was incorporated under the name of 
the Narragansett Milling Co., with an elevator 
and mills on Valley .street, l^ast Providence — 
the business having grown to such proportions 
as to warrant the removal of the headquarters to 
East Providence. Owing to a continued increase 
of business the Pawtucket establishment is to be 
removed to Waverly place, where the company 
will have its own track for shipping purpose. 
Mr. Kent was elected treasurer and general 
manager of the company, which position he now 







GEORGE W. KENr, 



holds. The company's eciuijinient, both in ma- 
chinery and facilities for handling grain, is 
superior to an\- in Rhode Island. Its output of 
mill products is equal to if not larger than an\- 
other milling company in New England, and its 
success is largely due to the intelligence and 
executive abititj- of Mr. Kent. 

In politics Mr. Kent is a Republican. He 
attends the Congregational church. In 1X70 he 
was married to Lydia E. Fairbanks of Central 
Falls, by which union there were five children : 
Warren C, b. July ii, 1S71 ; .\rcher L., b. Oct. 
i;,, :.S7;,; Revere W"., b. Oct. .^^ 1 , iS7(>: Ruth J., 
b. Feb. 10, iS,So; and Helen Iv, b. .April 2S, 
iS,S4. Warren C, d. Ma\' 27, 1S72. 

The first rect)rd of the Kent family occurs 
in the account of the settlement of Ijiswich, 
Mass., in 1635. Although a complete genealo- 
gical record of the male line of descent has not 
been secured, there is reason to beliexe that 
George W. is of the ninth generation in 
America. .Si.\ generations of the branch that 
settled in Rehoboth, Mass., ran be traced, the 
first being John I!., who d. Nov. 1, 1780; 
Elijah, his son, b. in 1727, d. in 1S15; Remem- 
ber, b. 1754, d. 1822; Seba, the grandfather of 
George W., b. Nov. 12, 1784, was a part owner 





PARDON JENKS. 

NDSON OF UNCLE" PARDON JENKS. 



J. EDWIN JUDSON. 

CIVIL ENGINEER. 





WILLIAM F. KEENE, 



ROBERT A. KEMl'ALL 





CHARLES F. KINNEY, 
OF THE TROV STEAM LAUNDRY. 



OF HENRY KRAHL X CO., OPERA MOUSE CAFE. 



362 



I I.l.ISTR A'ri'.D HISTORY () !• TAWT 1" C K !• T. 



in OIK- ol IIk- Ihsl t-citton mills in Xl-w l'',n,i;hinil, 
at Kent's Mills, now in tin.- limits ol I'aw tuckft. 
Seba married Xalil)\ U\v ol Ri-liobotli, who died 
in .Sept., iSSo. IK- lixrd to hi- 70 years ol a.i;e, 
and died in I'awtneki-t . R. I.. .Ma\ jo, iSfio. 
I.onis Kent, the lather ol (ieorge W'., was an 
extensive railroad contractor, building sections 
of some of the most important roads in the We.st. 
He was born in Rehoboth, Mass., Dec. 7, 1S16, 
and married Lydia French. Mr, Kent's house, 
at 466 Benefit street, is built on ground which 
has lieen in the famil\- for five generations. 

KENYON, John J., was born in Lancashire, 
England, Nov. 25, iST,h. and was the sec<jnd 
child of Thomas and Sarah (Hill) Kenyon. At 
the age of eiglit he went to wdrk as a tier boy 
to block ])rinters, but attended school as a 
"half-timer" meanwhile until he was 14. He 
was then aiiprenticed to Walker iS: ,Son of 
Manche.stcr, with whom he learned the manu- 
facture and finishing of cloth in ;dl branches, 
including spiiniing, weaving, bleaching, dyeing 
and jirinting. Thus equipped he came to the 
United .Slates in iSsy, and secured employment 
in the old I'emberton Mill, Lawrence, Mass., 
where lie narrowly e.scaped death by the collaji-se 
of the building, in 1S60, a disa.ster which 
caused great loss of life and attracted wide- 
spread attention. 

He then went to I'hiladelpliia and remained 
until the outbreak of the civil war, when he 
returned to England, and stayed there until 
1863, when he came back to this country and 
located at I'awtucket. With his father he 
engaged in the maiuifacture of tapes and braids 
in the old Oreene mill at 56 East avenue, the 
nanie of the firm being Thomas Kenyon & Son. 
ITpon the death of his father he operated the 
industry under his own uame. The business 
increased rapidly and extended to such propor- 
tions that the old mill could not accommodate it, 
and shops in four different buildings were oper- 
ated eventuallx . T"nder these circumstances it 
became difllcnlt for Mr. Kenyon to give the 
various dejiartments the personal supervision 
necessary, and in 1.S95 he erected at Darlington 
a four story factory, 300 feet long I)y 50 feet 
wide, completely ecpiipped with machinery for 



the manufacture of tapes, braids, boot, shoe 
and corset lacings, shoe webs, stay bindings, 
glazed yarns, tying-up-twines, etc. The busi- 
ness is now conducted under the uame ol the 
JolinJ. Ken\-on Manufacturing Co. 

Mr. Keuxon is a meml)er of the Knights of 
I'ythias, the Improxed Order of Red Men and 
the Order of Alfrediaus. He was married 
about 1S55 to vSarah 01i\e, who died fifteen 
months later, leaving one child, James. He 
remained a w'idower until .Sept. 27, 18(14, when 
he was married to Marj- Nickerson of Philadel- 
phia, Pa., by which union there are four child- 
ren : Robert A., John F., Mary and Elizabeth. 
The sons are interested in the business. James 
is superintendent, Robert A. is vice-]>resident, 
and John F. is secretary. 

KINNEY, Charles F., was born at Matta- 
poisett, Mass., Jul\- 8, 1862, and went to school 
there uiUil he was 15 \ears old, when he 
started to work in a l)ox mill at Mattapcjisett, 
and then worked in a coffin trimming .shop in 
Attleboro. He then went back to his nati\-e 
town and engaged in the grocery business lor 
four years, but in 1888 came to Pawtucket and 
went to work in the Troy Steam Laundry. In 
1890 he l)ought out Mr. .Smith, the senior part- 
ner of the firm of L. C. Smith .S: Co., and the 
business was continued under the name of 
Merithew iS: Kinney. Two years later Mr. 
Kinney bought out his partner's interest and 
continued the laundry alone until Xo\ . 1895, 
when he took in James H. Wilber and William 
M. Holliday as partners. The business has 
been uniformly prosperous and has increased 
from $150 to $400 a week. Mr. Kinney was 
married to Emma Kay in October, 1893, and they 
have one child, Charles .Stanley, b. in May, 
1895. Mr. Kinney's father was a sea ca])tain 
and sailed from Mattapoi.sett. 

KINSMAN, Addison, was born in Heath, 
Mass., in 181 i, and died at Lonsdale, Ma\' 5, 
1893. He was desi-ended from an old Xew 
England (amilw the fonncK-r ol which settled in 
the Old Colony s<iou after the foiuidiug ol 
Phnuiuth. In his \oung manhood he carried 
on a larm. h'or man\' \ears Ik- rdle<l the posi- 
tion of station agent at Lonsdale. In the latter 



I 


4k. 


^"-^^^ 


gl-^'~f\j^^^ 


^yg^^l 




JAMES B. BERRY, 

UNDERTAKER. 



CRANK BISHOP, 





HERMENEGILOE FONTAINE 

ALDERMAN, CENTRAL FALLS. 



GEO'^GE F. EVERETT, 





OTIS H. NORTON, 

VERSEER FRAME SPINNING, SLATER COTTON CO. 



:M 



I I. I.rS'PR AT i'. |) HISTORY ( ) I' 1' A \\"1~ T C K I". 




ADDISON KINSMAN 

I AGENT AT LONSDALE FOR M- 



years ol his life he- conducted a farm at Lonschile, 
adjoining the Dexter estate. He was a Rejxih- 
lican in politics and was a member of Christ's 
Kjiiscopal church, Lonsdale. In 1.S61 he was 
married to Sarah Ann, daugliter of Tinidthv W. 
Dexter of Cumberland, R. I. Mrs. Kinsman is 
a descendant in the si.xth generation from the 
Rev. Gregory Dexter, one of the early settlers 
and proprietors of Pnnidence, who was the 
fourth pastor of the First Bapti.st church there. 
Her line of descent is Rev. Cjregor> , John, 
James, James, and Timotlu- W. vShe was born 
in Cumberland, R. I., in 1S14, on her father's 
farm, which was near the coal mine, and was 
the youngest of the family. The niher children 
were James M., lienjamin ('.., and Eseck W. 

KINYON, nyron T., fourth child of Gardner 
J. and Grace (Collins) Kinyon, was born in 
Sm\rna, Chenango county. New York, Dec. 3, 
1.S30. His father, Gardner J. Kinyon, was a 
native of Rhode Island, where' his ancestors set- 
tled early in its histors , Iml wlun a small bo\- 
at the death of his father he went to live with 
Rev. Mr. Knight, a Congregational mini.ster, in 
Chenango county, New York. He married the 
eldest daughter of Josejjh Collins, a woolen 
manufacturer who had settled at Sui\rna, hav- 



ing moved from ConncL'tiL-ut . M\Min '1'. s]ient 
his early boyhood u])on his lather's iarm. 
atteiuling school from three to lour months in 
tile winter of each \ ear. .\t tlie age of 17 he 
went to Xoiwich, X. \'.. and attended two 
terms at the academ\- ol that ])Iace ; altei' that 
he s])ent about three \ears in tlu' Delaware 
Lilerarv Institute at h'ranklin, X. Y. His 
e\esighl troubling him, he left school foi- a few- 
months' lra\el, but the (K-ath of his father made 
it necessary for him to turn his attention to 
business. Lea\'ing his nati\'e town he went to 
Williamsport, I'a., and engaged as a book- 
keeper in a lumber firm : after that as ])artner 
in another large hnnber establishment in an 
adjoining count> . 

In 1S63 he was married to Miss Mary A. 
.\(lanis, daughter of the I:;te Muoch and Phebe 
Adams of Fawtucket. Thev have two children, 
Nettie D. Kinyon and William Harrv Kinyon, 
both living in Pawtucket. In 1S66 Mr. Kin\-on 
sold out his interests in Pennsyh-ania and mo\-ed 
to the slate of Kansas, locating at Albany, Ner- 
neha countv, where he engaged in real estate 
and mercantile business. Familx' interests, how- 
e\er, made it expedient, after a .stay of about 




MYRON T. KINYON, 

PROPR'ETOR KrNYON BLOCK. 



lUOG R A I'll I I'S. 



365 



five years, (or him to return east, and he a.s;ain 
located at WMllianisport, Pa. In iS-i;, at the 
death of Mrs. Knoch Adams and the lailure of 
Mr. Adams's health, Mr. Kinyon mo\ed his 
family to Pawtucket and took charge of the 
AdaiiLS estate and the care of Mr. Adams. In 
1889, after the death of Mr. Adams, Mr. Kinxon 
erected the large three-storj^ brick building 
which stands at the junction of Broad and North 
Union streets in Pawtucket, known as the 
Kinyon block. He is a charter member of the 
Park Place church and for ten years or more 
was a.ssistant superintendent of its Bible school ; 
is a member of the Pawtucket Young Men's 
Christian Association, and of the Congrega- 
tional Club of Providence, but not otherwise 
connected with social or fraternal organizations. 

KRAHL, Henry, the fifth child of Max and 
Johanna (Schwart) Krahl, was born March 24, 
1864, in Spremberg, GernianN . He attended 
school until his 14th year, when he went to 
Berlin and worked in a liotel. In iSS:; he 
landetl in America, coming direct to Pawtucket, 
where he immediately found employment in the 
Benedict House, and where he remained until 
1S94. when he joined with Hans Lang in pur- 
chasing the catering business from Frans Uonath, 
and the}- opened and have since operated the 
Opera House Cafe, 14 Broad street. Mr. Krahl is 
a member of Theodore Koerner Lodge, D. O. H. 
His father has been postman at vSpremberg for 
50 years. 

LADD, Loren Gilbert, connnissioner of 
public works, Pawtucket, was born in Canaan, 
Vt., where he attended the district school, and 
then went to the academy in Barnston, P. Q., 
Canada. For four years he managed a farm, 
when he went to California and thence to Nev- 
ada, where he engaged in the milk business. In 
1866 he came to Pawtucket as superintendent of 
the coal and lumber yards of Smith C-rant 6v: 
Co., where he remained until 1889. The slow 
and irksome methods of unloading coal from the 
barges then in use he overcame and simplified 
by inventing a steam coal shovel, known as the 
Newell-Ladd coal shovel. Believing that this 
shovel was susceptible of im])ro\-ement he de- 
voted his time to perfecting what is known as 



the Ladd coal sho\-el, which is now in gen- 
eral use. In iSyo he was elected highway 
commissioner and his management was so satis- 
factory that he was elected for the three suc- 
ceeding years. In 1894 when the Board f)f 
Public Works was created he was elected com- 
missioner for three years. 

In politics he is a Reiniblican. He is a 
mendjer of the Pawtucket Business Men's Asso- 
ciation and attends the F'ir.st Baptist church. 
Dec. 18, 1861, he was married to \'ictoria M. 
Baldwin of Barnston, P. [)■• '>>' which union 
there is one child, Albert Loren, b. Dec. 17, 
1863. Mr. Ladd's father was b. in Plainfield, 
N. H., in 1800, and was engaged in farming 
and the practice of medicine. His mother was 
Eleanor vStarkweather, and was b. in A'ernon, 
Vt., in 1 80S. 

LANE, Dr. Edward n., ])hysician and sur- 
geon at 84 High street, Pawtucket, the .son of 
Henry and lunma S. (Webster) Lane, was 
born Jan. 7, 1867, in Dexter, Michigan. His 
father who was Ijorn at Stony, Strafiordshire, 
England, in 1S44. came to this country with 
his parents in 1.S46. Until his i8th year Edward 
attended school at St. Thomas, Toronto, Can- 
ada, when he entered Bellevue Hospital 
Medical College, and attended Broome Street 
Maternity Hospital, New York, until his 23d 
3'ear, when he established himself in practice in 
Pawtucket. His ofTice is at 33 North I'nion 
street. In politics he is a Republican, and is a 
member of the Free Baptist church. He is a 
member of Good Samaritan Lodge, I. O. O. F., 
Eureka Lodge, No. 5, K. of P., is an as.sociate 
member of Tower Post, No. 17, G. A. R., and 
surgeon general of the Uniform Rank of the 
Sons of St. George of the United States, with 
the rank of brigadier general. He was married 
to Anna F. Olney of North Providence, Aug. 
iS, 1S92. 

LANG, Hans, the first child of Johann and 
Magdalane Lang, was born in P>a\aria. Germany. 
Aug. 23, 1869. He attended school in his 
native countr\- until he was 14 \earsold. when 
he learned to be a cook. In 1885 he came to 
America and settled at Pawtucket. Since 1894 
he has been a partner in the firm of lleiu-y 



366 



1LLUSTRATI';D history of PAWTUCKIvT. 



Kralil vS: Co.. in'opricturs of llu' ()[)LTa IIou.se 
Cafe, 14 Hroml street. He is a nieiiiber of 
Theodore Koeiiier Lo(li;e, D.O. II. His father 
is still livini; in (^.enuaiiw but his iiiotlier is dead. 

LEACH, Charles Alanson, son of Oeorge 
W. and Ahhie A. (Fisher) Leach, was born in 
Providence, R. I., Ma>- 15. 1S57. He s])ent his 
boyhood on a farm and attended the district 
school at Scitiiale, R. I., antl look a two \ ears' 
cour.se at the North Scituate Lai)hani Institute. 
When 16 years old he went to work on a farm 
during the summer months, worked for the 
Bridge Mill Cotton Co., at Saundersville, during 
the winters, and learned the business. He then 
went to Minnesota, engaged in fanning and 
remained two \ears. Returning to the east he 
again worked at the Bridge mill and later at 
the Berkeley mills. Imoiu there he went to the 
Wanisutla mills. New Bedford, and for four 
years was an overseer of frame spiiniing. Three 
years later he went as overseer to the Victor 
Manufacturing Co., at Saratoga, N. V. In 
1893 he came to Pawtucket and engaged with 
the United States Cotton Co. as overseer of the 
Hope Thread Mills, which position he now 
holds. In politics he is a Republican. He 
belongs to the I. O. O. F. of New Bedford. He 
was married Dec. 17, uS86, to Hattie Stuart of 
Machias, Me. 

LEE, Charles Arnold, was l)orn in the 
village of Pawtucket, town of North Proxidence, 
R. I., Dec. 14, 1845. On the jxUernal side he 
is descended from Richard Lee, who settled in 
the southerly part of Rehoboth some time 
between 1690 and 1700. Joseph, a son of 
Richard, was one of the earliest .settlers of the 
northwesterly portion of Rehoboth, now Cum- 
berland, R. I. His son Joseph was a i>hysician 
and surgeon, and served under (ren. Washing- 
ton in the revolutionar\- war. Dr. Joseph Lee's 
son, Alfred B. Lee, a well-known school teacher, 
was the father of Nehemiah W. Lee, the father 
of Charles A. Nehemiah Lee established the 
business of coppersmith and brass-founder in 
Pawtucket in 1843, and .so continued for a 
period of thirty years. On his mother's side 
Mr. Lee is descended from the Taft family of 
Mendon, Mass., and the Thayer famil\- of I'.x- 



bridge, his mother being the daughter of Arnold 
and Nancy (Thayer) Taft of Ea.st Douglas, 
Mass. His earlie.st education was acquired at 
the " Jones School," kept l)y two maiden sisters 
in the Capt. Eleazer Jenks house that stood 
on the present site of Cole's block on Main 
street. Here he attended from the age of four 
until he was eleven, when he entered the Church 
Hill grammar school under the late John H. 
Willard. He remained there until June, iSs9, 
when his parents removed to Cumberland. 
From Aug. 20, i860, to Nov. 13, 1863, he 
attended the Lonsdale high school, then under 
the efficient charge of Joseph M. Ross, now an 
attorney at Springfield, Mass. 

In the fall of 1863 his ])arents returned to 
Pawtucket, and on Nov. 30th of that \ ear he 
entered the office of the Gazette and Chronicle 
as a nominal apprentice. During his school 
days at Lonsdale he had become the jwssessor 
of several small fonts of type and a rude ama- 
teur press, with which he jirinted a monthh' 
paper called " The Register," and a \ariet\- of 
jobs. Unassi.sted he learned to set t\pe, and 
when he entered the Gazette and Chronicle 
office he had a fairlj' good idea of composition. 
He remained in the office until July, 1S65. In 
September of the same year he went to work for 
I;. L. F^reeman at Central Falls, where he .soon 
actpiired an enviable reputation as a pressman. 
He remained in Mr. FVeeman's office until Feb. 
5, 1870, when he returned to the Gazette and 
Chronicle office. A])ril i, 1 875, he purchased a 
quarter interest in the concern from Mr. Nicker- 
son, and three years later bought Mr. Nicker- 
.son's entire interest. From that date he was 
associated with John S. Sibley in the printing 
and publishing business. On Mr. vSiblev's 
death, which occurred Se])t. 13, 18.S3, he car- 
ried on the business alone until Jan. i, 1894, 
when Lester W. Upham was taken into partner- 
ship. Mr. Lee has been the editor of the paper 
since April i, iS-S. F'rom 187010 1875 he was 
the Pawtucket antl Central Falls correspondent 
of the Providence Press and Star. 

He is a charter member of Eureka Lodge, 
No. 5, Knights of Pythias, which he joined in 
March, 187 1, and was its second Chancellor 



Biuc-u A I'll I i-;s. 



367 



Commaiulfr. He was Crrind Chancellor in 
1S75 and iSjfi, and since- I'Sjy has been a 
Representative to the Supreme IvOdu;e, his term 
of continoiis service making him the oldest mem- 
ber of that bodv. He is also a member of the 
Uniform Rank and the Endowment Rank of the 
Knights of Pythias. He is a member of the 
American Legion of Honor, New England Order 
of Protection and the American Benefit Society. 
He belongs to the Pawtucket Business Men's 
Association, the Patria Club, the Pawtucket 
\'eterau Firemen's Association, the Universalist 
Club of Boston, the Rhode Island Universali.st 
Club, the Rehoboth, Seekonk, Pawtucket and 
I{ast Providence Detecting Society, and is an 
associate member of Tower Po.st, No. 17, Cr. A. 
R. In 1880 and 1881 he was elected on the 
Republican ticket as a representative to the 
General As.sembly. He has been secretary and 
treasurer of the Rhode Island Pre.ss As,sociation 
since it organization in 1S79. In 1875 he was 
elected an honorary member of the New Hamp- 
shire Press Association. In 1884 he was elected 
a member of the vSuburban Press Association of 
New England. The following year he was 
elected its president, ami served in that capacity 
until April, 1888. At Detroit, Mich., in August, 
1S89, he was elected president of the National 
Editorial Association, and presided at its conven- 
tion in 1S90, which was held in the State House 
in Boston. In A]iril, 1885, he started the Even- 
ing Chronicle, the first daily newspaper printed 
and published in Pawtucket. .\s a writer and 
speaker he is not unfa\'orably known. In 
politics he is a Republican. Jan. 13, 1S69, he 
was married to Miss Phebe S. Wright of Smith- 
field, (now Lincoln) R.I. They have no chil- 
dren living. 

LEE, Stephen, the oldest dentist in Paw- 
tucket, was born in Burrillville, R. I., April 28, 
1S22. His parents were George W. and Phebe 
(Walden) Lee, and his father was a farmer 
and .school teacher in Burrillville. Stephen 
attended the district schools until he was 16 
years old, when he began to work on his grand- 
father's farm. He then learned the trade of a 
machinist, and worke<l as a journeyman for 15 
years, .seven of which he was a spindle maker 



at Harrisville and Laurel Hill, in Burrillville. 
He also worked for 'l^homas J. Hill, of Provi- 
dence, and James .S. Brown, Pawtucket. In 
1854 he went West and carried on a farm for 
two \ears. He then learned the art of dentistry 
and began the ])ractice of his profession in Cen- 
tral Falls in 1856. In 1862 he came to Paw- 
tucket, and at the present time has dental 
parlors at 178 Main .street. His professional 
career has thus covered a period of over 40 years. 
In politics he is a Republican, but has voted 
against license for many years. He attends the 
Baptist church. In 1842 he was married to 
Elizabeth Pearce, by which union there are 
four children: Nelson, Marion, Luc\- and 
Stephen, Jr. The latter is associated in busi- 
ness with his father. The Lee family originated 
in England and the founder, .Stephen's great- 
grandfather, came to this country in 1S50. 

LeFAVOUR, David, for many years one of 
the prominent business men of Pawtucket, was 
born in Marblehead, Mass., Nov. i, 1799, and 
died in Pawtucket, R. I., March 20, 1879. For 
more than fifty years he was engaged in the 
manufacture and sale of boots and .shoes in com- 
pany with Niles vSpencer, under the firm name 
of Spencer & LeFavour. The business was 
carried on in the LeFavour block, which was 
erected in 18 13 on the corner of High and Main 
streets and continued in existence until High 
.street was widened in 1890, when it was replaced 
by the present Le Favour block. 

After Mr. Spencer's death, which occurred 
in the 6o's, Mr. LeFavour carried on the store 
alone until he retired from active business in 
1872. He was a man of striking character, a 
thorough gentleman in his manner, and was 
possessed of great executive ability. He was 
one of the organizers and a constant supporter 
of St. Paul's lipiscopal church and by his will 
he bequeathed a rectory to the church and also 
a sum of mone\'. 

He was married to Mary Ann Baldwin, 
Nov. I, 1824. She was b. in Brimfield, Mass., 
Nov. 30, 1798, and d. in Pawtucket, Jan. 10. 
1S79. They had five children: Edward, b. 
May 4, 1824, d. at Detroit, Mich., March 27, 
1874: Horace, b. Jan. 5, 1830, d. July 27, 1832; 



36S 



ILLUSTR AT i: 1) HISTORY O 1' PAW T I' C K I' T 



Mary, b. April 22, 1S33, d. Aug. 28, 1S57 ; Ilebcr, 
b. May 3. 1837, d. F'eb. 25, 1S78, as the result 
of being thrown from his carriage on East avenue, 
Pawtucket; Latimer, b. July 2S, 1841, d. at 
Jacksonville, Florida, March 2, 1870. 

Heber LeFavour the third son, :K(|uirLil 
fame during the war of the rebellion. He 
enlisted, April 16, 1861, as a private in Company 
A, I St Michigan Regiment, and returned home 
at the close of the war as colonel, with the brevet 
title of brigadier general. He was one of the 
original members of Tower Post, (i. .\. K., and 
was its first connnander. At the time of his 
death he was adjutant general of Rhode Island. 
He was in business with Frank R. Alniy in the 
manufacture of leather and was interested in 
the Hope Machine Co., of Providence. 

Fydward LeFavour, the oldest son of David, 
was married to Mary, only daughter of John B. 
Read, and they had one son, John Edward 
LeFavour, who is now the manager and trustee 
of the Read and LeFavour estates, with an 
office at 175 Main street. 

LEMLEY, David B., was born at Waynes- 
burg, Penn., in 1849. After attending the 
public schools he entered the \Vayne,sburg Col- 
lege, where he prosecuted his studies for two 
years. He then engaged in fanning in Illinois, 
but finding this occupation uncongenial he came 
to Saylesville in 1872 and engaged with W. F. 
& F. C. Sajdes at the bleaching and dye works. 
He perfected him.self in this business and in 
1883 was appointed foreman of the tentering and 
finishing departments in the new bleachery, 
which position he now fills. Mr. Lemlej- is a 
member of the Odd Fellows. In politics he is 
an independent. He was married to Julia 
Hersey of Lincoln in 1885, by which union there 
are two children. 

Lennon, Bernard T., was born in Pawtucket, 
then a part of Massachusetts, Feb. 21, 1859. 
He was educated in the old St. Mary's parochial 
school and the public grammar and high schools. 
When 14 years old he entered the employ of 
the Union Wadding Co. as clerk. In 1876 
he entered the employ of the Pro\-idence 
and Worcester and the Boston and Provi- 
dence railroads as clerk in the freight and 



ticket offices. In iS7y he- went with the 
wholesale grocery house of Henry L. Parsons, 
Providence, and represented that firm as travel- 
ing salesman for 10 years, when he joined his 
brother John !•". in the wholesale flour and feed 
business, with main office at Proxidence and 
branches in Boston and Portland. He is a 
charter member of the Pawtucket Baking Co., 
and also a director and secretary of the concern. 
He was one of the organizers of tlie Pnsl Pub- 
lishing Co., and was its managing director and 
secretary when the Post was an independent 
Democratic new.spaper in its ])olic\'. 

Mr. Lennon, is a member of the Pawtucket 
Business Men's A.s.sociation and the Pawtucket 
X'eteran Firemen's Association. He represented 
the second ward in the common council in 18S9 
and i8go, and was a member of most of the impor- 
tant committees, and chairman of a number. 
He was a member as well as auditor of the joint 
standing committee under whose direction the 
successful celebration oi the Cotton Centenary 
was held in 1890. June 8, 1887, he was married 
to Nellie F., daughter of William P. Moroney 
of Pawtucket, and they have had five children 
born to them: William, b. March 25, 1888; 
Marj-, b. March, 14, 1890; Katherine, ii. April 
16, 1892; Harold, b. May 28, 1894; John, b. 
June 22, 1896. 

LENNON, Peter, was born in the County 
Monaghan, Ireland, Feb. 3, 1853, and is the 
fifth child of John and Elizabeth (Molloy) Len- 
non. His father was famed as a breeder of fine 
horses and was a successful farmer. Peter 
attended the national schools and worked on 
his father's farm. In 1871 he emigrated to 
America, coming direct to Pawtucket, where he 
worked at the leather business until 1873, when 
he entered the store of John Cregnan who sold 
groceries and farming tools. Pierce & Larkin 
succeeded Mr. Cregnan. Mr. Lennon \n\r- 
chased the Larkin interest and the business was 
carried on as Pierce & Lennon until 1883, when 
Mr. Lennon bought Mr. Pierce's interest and 
has since conducted the business alone at his 
present location, 56 and 60 North Main street. 
Mr. Lennon is a Democrat, and from 1890 to 
1894 was a member of the city council from the 



HKHIR Al'II I1':S. 



369 



second ward. He is a member of the Knights 
of Columbus, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, 
and attends the Catholic church. May 6, 1878, 
he was married to Margaret Wolfden, b\- which 
union there are seven children : Ivsther, John, 
Elizabeth, Mary Ann, Benjamin, Henr\-, and 
Ruth. 

LEONARD, Henry, son of Henry and Jane 
(Cateley ) Leonard, was born on his father's farm 
in County Tyrone, Ireland. After attending 
the national schools, he learned the trade of a 
carpenter and worked at it in Ireland. In 1S55 
he came to America and located in Lonsdale, 
where he was engaged as a carpenter by the Lons- 
dale Co., and held this position until 1867. He 
then worked for W. F. >!<: F. C. Sa>les, building 




HENRY LEONARD, 

VALLEY FALLS. 



the new bleacheries. Afterwards he opened a 
store on his own premises on Titus .street, Valle}- 
Falls. Mr. Leonard prospered and now owns 
nine buildings in Valley Falls and has occupied 
his present house over 29 jears. In politics he 
is a Republican. He was married to Jane 
McVey, in Ireland, in 1853, and to them have 
been born seven children all of whom died. Mrs. 
Leonard died in July, 1896. 



LESLIE, Alexander, was born in County 
Down, Ireland, July 3, 1852. He attended the 
national schools until his 14th year when he 
went to work in the Greenvale Bleach Works, 
where he remained seven years and learned the 
business. He then became superintendent of 
the bleachery at Lame, County Antrim. In 
Sept., 1873, he came to America and located at 
Saylesville, and in 1880 was appointed superin- 
tendent of the fancy goods department at the 
new Sayles bleaching and dyeing works, which 
position he now occupies. In politics he is a 
Republican. He is a member of the town com- 
mittee and of the board of assessors. He 
belongs to the Free Masons, the Odd F'ellows, 
the A. O. U. W. ; is president of the Sayles- 
ville Fire Association and president of the 
b'ree Library Association. In i88i he was 
married to Margaret Robinson, and they have 
one child, Annie lulith Owen, b. Jan. 23, 1S92. 

LEWIS, Enoch, son of Enoch and Ruth 
Brownell (Si.sson) Lewis, was born Jan. 25, 
1839, at Middletown, R. I. He attended the 
public schools in Providence until his 16th 
> ear, when he went into the Wardwell & Barstow 
stove foundry and learned the moulder's trade, 
at which he worked as a journeyman in Provi- 
dence, in Norton, Mass., and with the Rhode 
Island Stove works in Pawtucket. He became 
a member of the police force when Hiram How- 
ard was chief, while Pawtucket was in the 
town of North Providence, and later was elected 
by the council as sergeant and as acting chief 
from 6 P.M. to 6 A.M., which position he held 
for six years. In 1881 he formed a partnership 
with Frank Gurry under the name of Lewis & 
Gurry in the general tobacco, cigar and restaur- 
ant business, on Main street, near Pawtucket 
avenue. The business prospered. The firm 
had to find larger quarters and leased the entire 
building, corner Main and High streets, which 
formerly was Samuel Slater's residence. These 
premises were completely remodelled into two 
attractive stores. There the trade increased 
rapidly and at present they are the leading 
tobacconists and cigar dealers in Pawtucket and 
are state agents for the F. F. Follett & Son Co., 
cigars, agents for the Jacob Stahl cigars, anil 



.^70 



ILLUSTRATI' I) IIISTORN' (> l- P AWT 1' C K I". T. 



carr\- a line ol liigli grade i;(iods unsurpassed in 
New Kngland. Mr. Lewis is a charier member 
of Kureka Lodge, K. of 1>. In politics he is a 
Republican. His father, grandfather, and 
great-grandfather all bore the name ICnoch, and 
the family resided in Wakelield, k. 1.. for gen- 
erations. 

LISABELLE, Thomas, manager of the .Star 
Collecting Agency, 51 Dexter street, Pawtucket, 
son of Thomas and Pliiloniene Lisabelle, was 
born July 7, [.S5S. at St. Michel, Archange, 
P. Q., Canada. His parents moved to Laprairie, 
P. Q., where he attended .school. His first em- 
ployment was with Andrew lisiiihart, who kept 
a general store. In 187,^ he went to Montreal 
and was euipli)\ed by William Reed, custom 
house broker. .Six years later he was admitted 
into partnership, the firm name being William 
Reed iS: Co. In 1882 he formed a copartnership 
with Julien Brosseau under the name of Bros- 
seau iS: Lisabelle, custom house brokers. This 
firm was dis.solved in 1885. The succeeding 
two \ears he S]>ent in travel, \isiting Central 
and .South .Vnierica. In 1SS7 he was again 
located in Montreal and in i.sss he went to 
New York Cit\' and was employed by T. S. 
Todd <.\: Co., custom house brokers and forward- 
ing agents. In 1890 he joined with one Laduke, 
and operated a real estate ofSce at Holyoke, 
.Mass., under the firm name of Laduke & Lisa- 
belle. In iSy,^ he came to Pawtucket and 
opened the collecting agency of which he is 
now the resident manager. 

LITTLE, John W., was born in iS(<2 at 
Whilinsville, Mass., and went to school there 
and at Pawtucket until he was 14 years old. 
He then began to learn the trade of a printer 
with E. L. Freeman iS: Co.. where he served a 
three years' a])])renticship, and then worked five 
years as a journe^inan. At the end of that 
jieriod he started a printing ofTice in the .\. M. 
Read building. Main .street, Pawtucket. He 
has steadilx' built up a good Inisiness. In i8i;(i, 
on account of the increase in llie work, he was 
obliged to move into much larger (piarters in 
the Record building, 330 Main street, wheie his 
office is at ]iresent located. The eslahlihlinicnl 
now contains one of the best jiriuting ])lanls in 



the comnuinit\- and with its modern presses, 
and a large assortment of tlic latest type faces 
can turn out any descri|)li(in of printing from a 
large book to a small card. The businc-ss is 
carried on nnckr tin- nanii.- of John W. Little 
& Co., and the motto of the firm is "We print 
for all." Mr. Little is wideawake and energetic 
and (k'xotes his entire time to the business. 
.\ spct'ialt\- is made of high-class commercial 
and artistic work. h'lir tlu' past se\en \ears the 
firm has done all the ])rinting tor the cit\ of 
Pawtucket. Mr. Liltle is a ke|)nlilican, has 

sers'ed on the cit\- commitlee, and has been an 
earnest jiartx worker. He is a 32d degree 
Mason, is Past Master of Union Lodge, No. 10. 
A. F. and .\. M., Past High Priest Pawtucket 
Royal .Arch CIiai)ler, and belongs to Holy 
,Se])ulclire Conunandery, Knights Templars, the 
Nobles of the Mxstic Shrine and to Lnterprise 
Lodge, I. O. O. F. He is a member of Park 
Place Congregational church. He was married 
in 1S85 to Lillias M. Knox of Pawtucket, and 
the\- have four children; .Stewart, .\gnes K., 
Lester, K., John W., Jr., all born in Pawtucket. 

LINNELL, Benjamin Franklin Qreene, the 
agent of the C.reeiie &: Daniels Manufacturing 
Co., was born in Hyaniiisport, Mass., April i, 
1849, and was the fourth child of William handily 
and Caroline Gage (Lo\-ell) Linnell. His ances- 
tors lia\e lix'ed on Cai)e Cod for man\- genera- 
tions and the family have all the sturdy and 
energetic characteristics of the peojile of that 
locality. He attended the Hyanni.sport public 
schools, graduated from the high .school at 
Hyannis, and completed his education at the 
Brxant & .Stratton Business College in Boston 
in 1S68. Until 1S76 he worked in Boston as a 
bookkeeper, first for V. W. Todd i\: Co., and 
then for J. 1). Lewis. He then came to Paw- 
tucket and was employed as a bookkeeper for 
ten \ ears b\- the Greene i*t Daniels Manufactur- 
ing C". In iSSri he was elected secretarv of 
the corporation and still holds that position. 
Ma\- 1, 1895, he was elected agent of the cor- 
poration. 

In P.oston Mr. Linni-11 made a study of the 
science ol accounts while in the eniplox' ol Mr. 
T<iild, and became an ex])ert ai'countanl. On 





ENOCH LEWIS, 
OF LEWIS & GURRY, MAIN STREET 





JOHN W. LITTLE, 



LAWRENCE A. LOCKWOOD, 

LRAL MANAGER CREFELO ELECTRICAL WORKS. SAYLESVILLE. 





PROCTOR C. LULL, 
PROPRIETOR fOLLETT A STEERE EXPRESS CO. 



HENRY J. LYNO, 

OF LVND A MURPHY, CLOTHING, ETC. 



:->i2 



I I,H'STRAT]';i) HISTORY OF I'AWT T C K IvT. 



the (k-atli of (".fiicml Horace Danic-ls, Mr. 
Greene, kiiowiiii; ol Mr. Linnell's proficiency 
as a Iwokkeeper and luuini^ i;reat confidence in 
his inlet!;rit\- and abililv , invited him to accept 
tliat jiosilion in his eniplo\', the ihities ol which 
he assumed Dec. 27, 1876. Until tlie death ol 
the kite Heiijainin F. (jreeiie, Mr. Linnell was 
his c(Mifidential associate in business. He was 
ajipointed h\- him one oftlie executors ol his will. 

Mr. Liiinell is a Rc])u1ilican. He attends 
the Methodi.st church. Nov. i;,. 1X79, he was 
manie<l to Thankful Hallett Ta> lor, and they 
ha\'c two children: Fannie Ma>-, b. Now 5, 
1.SS2; and Lillian ]Cml)l\-, !>. March 16, 1SS4. 

LITTLEFIELD, Alfred Henry, governor of 
Rhode Island from i.sso to i''^<S3, was born in 
Scituate, R. I., Ajiril 2, 1S29. He was descended 
from Edmund Littlefield, who was born in Tich- 
field, F'ngland, in 1.S92, came to Bo.ston, Mass., 
in I'l.'^y, and nltimatel\- settled at Wells, Me., 
where he died in 1661. (Governor Lilllefield's 
line of descent is as follows : iM'ancis, b. Fn;^- 
laud, 1619, d. Wells, Me., 1712; Caleb, b. 
Wells, Me., 1653; Nathaniel, b. I'.lock Island, 
1694, rei)re.sented New Shoreham in the Oeneral 
Assemblv in i7,v'^, i74'', 174'', 174''^ and 17.S4; 
Nathaniel, b. I'lock Island, 17,^^. was a mend)er 
of the General Assend)l\- in i75.San(l 17^12; John, 
b. lilock Island, 177,',; John. b. .South Kings- 
town, 179^. The latter manied I )eborah Ilinics, 
March 11, iSih, b>- which union there were 
eleven children. 

In 1S31 iVIfred's parents removed to Natick, 
and there he attended the village school until the 
spring of iM,'?7, after which he was emjiloyed in 
the Sprague mills until the fall of \X-\-\. when 
he again attended school for six nu)nths, and in 
May 1745 began his business life as a clerk in a 
dry goods .store at Central l-'alls. .\t the age of 
22 he united in partnershiji with his brother 
George, under the firm name of Littlefield 
Brothers, dealers in dry goods, at Pawtncket. 
In 1S52 he and his l)rother, with Da\-i(l Ryder, 
under the firm name of David R>(lcr iS: Co., 
began the manufacture of cotton thread and 
\aru. Upon the retirement of David R>der in 
iS57the firm name was changed to Littlefield 
Brothers, and on JuK' i, iSS<j, .Mfrtil H. ])ur- 



chased the interest of his brother, and the 
business was incorporated as the Littlefield 
MaiHitactnriug Co., of which corporation he 
was i)rcsident until his death, Dec. 21, 1.S93. 

Mr. Littlefield was originally a Whig, but 
upon the formation of the l\e]uiblican partv he 
united with it and continued in thai jiojitical 
faith until the end of his life. In 1S7,;. after 
Lincoln had been set off from the old town of 
Sniithiield. he was elected a member of the 
town council four times and afterwards declined 
all nominations for town offices, except that of 
moderator at the financial meetings. He repre- 
sented Lincoln in the lower house of the General 
Assend)ly in 1.S76 antl 1S77 and as senator in 
187S and 1879, and was elected govern(n- of the 
state in 1880, 1S81 and 1882. He was ipuirter- 
master in the Pawtncket Light Guard, a cor|)s 
distingni.shed among the chartered militarx' 
companies of Rhode Inland and afterwards 
known as Company \i. Rhode Island Detached 
Militia, forming a ])art of the First Rhode 
Island regiment under Colonel, afterwards 
Major General Burnside. When the war of 
the rebellion came on he was a staunch and 
lo\aI sujijiorter of the Union cause and assisted 
materially in raising and ecpiipping troops for 
the different regiments as they were called for 
from time to time to take the field for the pre- 
servation of the Union. In 1 .S64 he was dix'ision 
inspector with the rank of cohniel, on the staff 
of Major General 01ne\' Arnokl, which position 
he held five years. He was an honorary mem- 
ber of the F'irst and Second Rhode Island Regi- 
ments Veteran Associations ; .Slocum Po.st, No. 
10, (i. .\. R. ; and the .Soldiers and Sailors 
Historical .Society. 

In his l)usiness career Governor Littlefield 
was \-ery successful. He ranked high as a 
manufacturer. He was one of the incorporators 
of the Pawtncket Hair Cloth Co., and director 
from its organization : was a director in the 
Peojiles Bank, North Providence, afterwards 
the F'irst National Bank, Pawtncket ; in the 
Pawtncket (>as Co., the Royal Weaving Co., 
the Cumberland Mills Co., the Pawtucket Street 
Railwa>' Co., of which he was vice-president ; was 
trustee of the I'roxideiice Crmntv .Savinijs Bank: 



B I () O R A 1' U 1 1-: s 



373 



ami was interested in various other enleri)rises 
and corporations. He was a member of the 
Pawtucket Business Men's Association, of the 
Patria Chih, Rhode Island Historical Society, 
Providence Conunercial Club, and other social 
organizations. 

Feb. 9, iSj,^, he was married to Rebecca Jane 
Northup of Central P'alls and from this union 
four children were born, two of whom died in child- 
hood, and Eben N. and Alfred H., Jr., are livin;.; 
and succeeded to their father's business. In 
his private and public career he earned the 
esteem of all with whom he came in contact and 
on his death he was mourned as an exemplary 
citizen and loyal friend. 

The following testimony of a personal friend 
who was a life-long business associate, presents 
the character and career of Governor Littlefield, 
in a succinct, modest and graphic manner: 

" A childhood of toil, and a j-oung manhood 
of intense industry and enforced econom>-, 
inevitably gave color to the incidents of his after 
life. When his circumstances permitted exeni])- 
tion from intense toil, his recreation was in .study 
rather than in play. His self-acquired education 
was extremely practical, but it was such as 
admirably equipped him for the nian\' positions 
of responsibility and trust to which he was called. 
His political record is free from every ground of 
suspicion that he ever compromi.sed with consci- 
ence for the sake of personal success. Among the 
man}' honored men who have graced the guber- 
natorial chair of Rhode Island, none outrank 
Alfred H. Littlefield in a record of un.selfish 
devotion to the absolute duty of the office, even 
when its performance might not elicit popular 
applause. Rhode Island's best citizens of all 
parties, and from all parts of the State, will bear 
witness to the official indu.stry, the high honor, 
and intelligent action of Governor Littlefield." 

LITTLEFIELD, Daniel Greene, was born in 
North Kingstown, R. I., Nov. 23, 1S22, and was 
the third .son of John and Deborah (Himes) 
Littlefield, who had a family of eleven children. 
The first ancestor of the family in America was 
Edmund Littlefield, an Englishman, who came 
to Boston in 1637, and two of whom descendants, 
Caleb an<l Nathaniel, settled on Block Island in 



I 72 I. The Littlefields have always been num- 
erous and prominent in Block Island and in 
.Southern Rhode Island. Daniel G. Littlefield's 
father was born in South Kingstown, July 15, 
1798, and his mother at North Kingstown, 
March 30, the same year, and they were married 
March 11, 1.S16. They removed to Scituate, 
R. I., about 182S, and there Daniel, at the age 
of eight, went to work in the Jackson cotton mill, 
which was one of the fir.st factories started in 
the Pawtuxet valley. From that early age until 
he reached manhood he worked in cotton and 
woolen mills an.l machine shops, and advanced 
through all grades from bobbin bov to superin- 
tendent. 

In i(S46 he assisted in starting a cotton mill 
in the village of Florence, in the town of North- 
ampton, Mass. For two years he was in the 
dry goods business at Northampton Centre, but 
fire destroyed his store and he then assisted in 
establishing a cotton mill at Haydenville which 
he managed for two years. Closing his engage- 
ment in the mill he started at Haydenville in 
company with his brothers George L. and 
Alfred H., a countr\- variety store, but sold out 
in a short time. He then became salesman 
and agent for the cotton mill of Hayden & 
Sanders, disposing of the goods in New York, 
and elsewhere. Returning to Florence in 1S56 
he engaged in the manufacture of daguerrotype 
ca.ses and sewing machines, and became presi- 
dent of the Florence Sewing Machine Co. He 
remained in P'lorence until 1863. In 1861 and 
r862 he represented Northampton in the Massa- 
chusetts legislature. 

At the .solicitation of his brothers and .several 
prominent manufacturers and capitalists, Mr. 
Littlefield came to Pawlucket in 1863 and 
assumed charge of the Pawtucket Hair Cloth 
Co. The large mill at Central Falls was built 
and all the machinery set up under his direction. 
Although he had only intended to remain a year 
in Pawtucket, as he had large business interests 
in F'lorence and elsewhere, the prosperity of the 
new company under his management was so 
great that he finally concluded to remain per- 
manentl}'. His subsequent life was cliiefly 
iilentified with the develo]unent of indu.stries in 



374 



ILLUSTK AT I'D llISToRV ( ) !• PAW T T C K IvT. 



his iiL-w liDim.-, ami 1)\ his iiuuiUixx- genius, his 
lut'chanical skill and his l)iisines.s ability, he 
contributed greatly to the success of matiy 
enterprises. 

In I.S65 he went to luirojie in the interest 
of the Hair Cloth Co., and made similar tri])s in 
1866, 186S, 1871 anil 1S72, visiting all the prin- 
cipal countries of Europe, and making a long 
sojourn in vSouthern Russia at the great horse 
hair market of the world. Ivach time he 
returned with \alual)le information which 
enabled the company to greatly increase its 
business. In 1878 he was honorary commis- 
sioner from Rhode Island to the Paris Exposition, 
and served as juror on small and fine machinery. 
In politics Mr. Eittlefield was originally a Whig, 
but he became a Republican at the time of the 
formation of that party. He was elected by the 
(leneral Assenil)l\- lieutenant governor of Rhode 
Island in iSSi;, and serx'ed lor one year. He 
died Ma\- ;, 1 , i8yi, universally respected, 
lull o( years and honors. .\t the time of his 
death he was president of the Providence County 
Savings Bank ; the Pawlutket Hair Cloth Co. ; 
the Royal Weaving Co., the building and 
machinery of which had been erected under his 
direct supervision; the J. M. Carpenter Tap & 
Die Co.: the Cumberland Mills Co.; the James 
Davis Belting Co. ; the Florence Manufacturing 
Co., and the Florence Machine Co., of P'lorence 
Massachusetts. 

Mr. Littlefield was twice married, and his 
second wife and a son and daughter sur\'ive 
him. He was a mendier and a trustee of the 
Pawtucket Congregational Society and was a 
liberal provider for the support of the church 
and society. His residence in Central F'alls, 
corner of Broad and Central streets, was one of the 
finest mausious in the community. In personal 
appearance Mr. Littlefield was a magnificent 
specimen of manhood. He was more than six- 
feet in height, of massive figure, i)ut not corpu- 
lent. He was, notwithstanding his eminent 
business success, a modest, unassuming, ap- 
proachable man, kindly and considerate. 

LITTLEFIELD, Nathan Whitman, attor 
nej'-at-law. Providence, was born in East 
Bridgewater, Mass., May 21, is^(\ and is the 




son of Rufus Ames and Abigail Russell (Whit- 
man) Littlefield. He is a lineal descendant of 
Edmund Littlefield, who came to this country 
from Tichfield, England, in i'i36, and soon 
after settled at Wells, Me., where he built the 
first mill in that region, and from whom are 
descended nearl\- if not quite all of that name in 
New England. The father of Nathan W. was 
for manj' years a succe.ssful teacher in the 
schools of East Bridgewater and neighboring 
towns and is of the blood of Miles Standish, 
and his mother is a descendant of John and 
Priscilla Alden. 

Nathan W. was educated in the common 
schools of his native town, at Bridgewater Acad- 
emy, and at Phillip's Academy, Andover, Ma.ss., 
from which he w-as graduated in 1865. The 
same >ear he entered Dartmouth College, from 
which he was graduated in i86g, the centennial 
\ear of the college, with the highest honors, 
and was valedictorian of his class. He was one 
of the foremost athletes of the college during 
his course and an active mend)er of (ireek letter 
and open college societies, receiving the highest 



l5I()(iR APHIES. 



375 



appointiiif Ills at tht ])ul)lic literary exhibitions 
of his class. After graduating he entered upon 
educational work for several years and was prin- 
cipal of the high school of Newport, R. I., and 
principal of the high school and superintendent 
of the schools of the village of Westerly, R.I. 

His success as a teacher was marked, but 
he had from early da\s inclined to legal .studies, 
and in 1874 resigned his position in Westerly to 
enter upon the work of preparation for his chosen 
profession ; and in October, 1874, he entered 
the law .school of Boston I -nix-ersitx-, from 
which he was graduated in 1S76. Soon after 
he was admitted to the Boston bar, but entered 
upon the practice of the law at Providence in 
January, 1877. His practice has been exclu- 
sively upon the civil side of the court, and 
largely in equity and probate cases and in the 
law of real estate, in which, from the beginning 
of his professional career, he has been engaged 
in some of the mo.st important litigation which 
has come before the Rhode Island courts, both 
as regards the legal principles involved and the 
pecuniar}' interests at stake. A recent case, 
involving the titles to several large tracts of land 
taken by the city of Providence for park pur- 
poses, was one of the most intricate and difficult 
which e\-er came before the Supreme Court of 
Rhode Island, and resulted in the complete 
establishment of the titles of his client and an 
award of nearly a quarter of a million of dollars 
as damages. In 1893 he was appointed a Stand- 
ing Master in Chancery. He is a member of 
several fraternal organizations, and of the Patria 
Club of Pawtucket, in which city he resides. 
In politics he is a Democrat of the Jeffersonian 
school, and has been the candidate of his party 
for representative and senator from Pawtucket. 
He has always taken an active interest in the 
religious welfare of the places in which he has 
resided. 

LOCKWOOD, Lawrence A., son of Abraham 
and Sarah (Carr) Lockwood, was born at War- 
wick, R. I., in 1856, where he attended the 
public schools, and subsequently took a three 
years' course at the Mount Pleasant Academw 
At the age of 16 he entered the office of the 
Wanskuck Co.'s store as bookkeeper, where he 



remained fi\e \ears, occupying a responsible 
and confidential position, whicli he resigned to 
engage in the retail grocery, hay and grain 
business in Providence with W. B. and I'". B. 
Hazard under the firm name of Hazard, Lock- 
wood & Co. In i<S7cS he disposed of his interest 
in that bu.siness, came to Pawtucket and asso- 
ciated himself with Richard Harrison in the 
dyeing and bleaching of yarns on Front street, 
and in 1880 he connected himself with the firm 
of Minchin & Co., in the manufacture of shirts 
and drawers, and was a.ssistant manager of the 
works. Later he engaged with R. A. Butler in 
the tannery business and al.so occupied an im- 
portant position with the Pawtucket Hair Cloth 
Co. In 1885 he entered the employ of W. F. 
& F. C. .Sayles as manager of the office and 
accounts of the Lorraine Mills and Glenlyon 
D\e Works. In 1891 he was selected to organize 
the Crefeld Electrical Works, of which he is now 
secretary and general manager. In June 1893 
and 1 894 he was elected a member of the Lin- 
coln town council, and was foremost in bringing 
al)out a division of the town on March iS, 1894. 
He was chairman of the committee ap])ointed to 
adjust the debt of the old town of Lincoln and 
all matters of difference between the new town 
of Lincoln and the city of Central Falls, which 
adjustment has since been made to the mutual 
satisfaction of both city and town. He was 
reelected a member of the town council of Lincoln 
in June 1895 and 1S96. Sept. S, 1S82, he was 
married to Viola B., daughter of Richard Harri- 
son of Pawtucket, by which union there are three 
children: Edna Harri.son, Lawrence A., Jr., 
and Lester Ward.. Mr. Lockwood is of a very 
old and di.stinguished family and his ancestors 
were among the original settlers in Southern 
Rhode Island. 

LULL, Harry Freeman, oidy child of 
Proctor C. and Betsey C. ( Worthley ) Lull, was 
born in New Boston, N. H., July 16, 1863. 
His ]iarents moved to Pawtucket, where he 
attended the public schools. He then took a 
course at .Scholfield's Commercial College, 
Providence and completed his education at 
Mowry & Goff's luiglish and Classical school. 
Providence. Under the tutelage of his father 



376 



I LLUSTR A'l'l'I) HISTORY () 1'" 1' AW T U C K IvT. 



he learned the coiicretiiii; business, ami in iSg^^ 
he succeetletl his father as owner of this busi- 
ness, which he still carries on, with head(|uarters 
at 392 Hroadway. He is a nRni1)er of Cood 
Samaritan Lodj^e of Odd l'"eIlo\\s, and attends 
the Congregational church at Central Falls. 
Aug. 18, 18S6, he was married to Isabel H. 
Kelley, of Pawtucket, b\- which union there are 
three children: Chester I'., b. Aui;. 21, 1S8S ; 
Ernest P., b. Dec. 23, 1892 ; Bertha h',.. b. 
July 2, 1894. 

LULL, Proctor C, the fir.st child of Hiram 
and Abby (Bentley) Lull, was born March 19, 
1842, at New Boston, N. H., which was also the 
birthplace of his jiarents and grandparents. He 
is a descendant nf tlic old Hogg family of revo- 
lutionary fame, and lour generations of the 
family were born in the same hou.se and were 
prominently identified with the history of New 
lioston. Proctor went to the ])nblic schools 
until he was sixteen years old and thereafter 
conducted a farm until 1870, when he located in 
Lowell, Mass., and associated with E. A. Smith 
in the concreting business. This partnership 
was terminated in 1872, when Mr. Lull came to 
Pawtucket and engaged in the same l)usiness. 
In 1885, in company with his brother, he pur- 
chased the Follett & vSteere Express Co., and 
conducted both enterprises at 37 Cross street, 
Central Falls. Later he sold his concreting 
l)usiness to his son and in 1894 bought his bro- 
tlu-r's interest in the expressing business which 
he has since conducted alone. Mr. Lull was 
councilman from the first ward in 1SS6-7 and 
alderman in the same ward from 1887 to 1890. 
He is a member of the Pawtucket Business Men's 
Association, the Pawtucket Veteran Firemen's 
As.sociation, and is iirominent in the ( )dd Fel- 
lows and Masonic Orders. He is a niend)er of 
the Central Falls Congregational church. In 
July, 1862, he was married to Betsey C. Worth- 
ley of Ware, N. H., who d. Feb., 1865 ; by this 
union there is one child, Harry F. In May, 
1870, Mr. Lidl was married to Clara Smith 
of New Boston, N. II., and she d. Jan. 3, 
1877 ; by this union there was one child who 
died. In 1878 liL- was married to Pllizabeth Mc- 
Clearv of Lawrence, Mass. 



LUMB, George H., the second child of 
TliDmas and lilizabetli (Ilaigli) l.umb, was 
boiii in Halifax, Eng., March 12, 1861, and 
came to this country with his parents in 1864. 
They located in Worce.ster, Mass., where George 
attended the public schools until he was 14 
years old, when he went into the office of the H. 
H. Chamberlin Co. In 1881 he worked for the 
ICllington Manufacturing Company at Rockville, 
Conn., and then took a course at Coleman's 
Business College, Newark, N. J. In 1885 he 
came to Pawtucket and became a bookkeeper 
for the Slater Stocking Co., which was jjur- 
chased by The E. Jenckes Manufacturing Co., 
for whom he acted as head of the finishing 
department. In 1891 he joined A. H. Smith in 
establishing the Blackstone Stocking Co. In 
1884 he was married to Bessie Gledhill of Rock- 
ville. Conn., and they have two children: 
Freddie and Ralph. 

LYND, Henry J., was born in Wakefield, 
R. I., Jan. 20, 1861, and was the third child of 
Michael and Margaret (McOrath) Lynd. 
He received his educatiim in the ]nililic schools 
at Peacedale, R. I., and in the town of Lin- 
coln, and was graduated from Scholfield's 
Commercial College, Providence, in iSSo. 
In 1 88 1 he became a salesman in the Paw- 
tucket store of the Boston «S: Providence 
Clothing Co. With Daniel Murphy he estab- 
lished, Aug. 2, 18.S2, in the Bagley block, under 
the name of L> nd iS: Murphj-, a store devoted 
to dealing in boots and shoes, hats and caps, 
and gentlemen's furnishings. The business 
jirospered, and enlarged quarters were secured 
April 30, 1885, in the LeFavour block, Main 
.street, and this .store was still further enlarged by 
the securing of more room, April 12,1 888. WHien 
High street was widened the firm moved into 
the Sheldon building, 3 Broad street, July 9, 
1 89 1, and this store was greatly enlarged Jan. i, 
1896. Lynd & Murphy have always carried on 
a first-class business, and the firm is now a well- 
e.stablished and recognized Pawtucket house. 

Mr. Lynd is a Catholic and is a member of 
the Church of the Sacred Heart. He belongs 
to Branch No. 265, Catholic Knights of .Vnierica, 
Delaney Council, Knights of Columbus, and the 



Bioc; R A I'll 1 1: s. 



:^77 



VotiiiLC Men's Catholic Association. He is also 
a member of Court City of Pawtucket, Ancient 
Order of Foresters. He was married Oct. 21, 
1884, to Margaret Callaghan, and tlR'>- have 
five children: Nora, b. Aug. 2, 1SS5; Henr\-, 
b. Feb. 19, iS,S8; Mary, 1). Dec. 9, 1SS9: Joseph 
C, 1). Oct. 15, 1892: and Oenevieve, I). Oct. 
29, 1894. 

riacCOLL, James Roberton, the Innrth 
child of Hugh and Janet (Roberton) MacColl, 
was born April 2, 1856, in Glasgow, vScotland. 
He received his early education in Anderson's 
Academj- and graduated from the high school, 
Glasgow. He subsequently took a .sjjccial 
course at the (Glasgow Technical College, and 
in 1 87 1 entered the house of Henrj- Fyfe «!v: 
Sou, Glasgow, manufacturers of dress goods. 
In 1878, in partnership with John Thonisfm, he 
purchased this business and the>- continued it 
under the firm name of Thomson & MacColl. 
In 1882 he came to Pawtucket as manager of 
the Lorraine mills, which position he has occu- 
pied until the present. He is also agent of the 
Crefeld mills of We.sterly, R. I., and is inter- 
ested in various other industrial enterprises. 
April 15, 1884, he was married to Agnes Bogle, 
of Glasgow, from which union there were five 
children: Hugh Frederick, b. Feb. 22, 1885; 
William Bogle, b. Oct. 26, 1886; Margaret, b. 
June 24, 1888, d. Dec. 26, 1893; James Rober- 
ton, Jr., b. Oct. 5, 1891 ; and Norman Alex- 
ander, b. July 28, 1895. 

Mr. MacCoU's father was b. in Glasgow, 
Scotland, May 8, 1813, and d. Dec. 12, 1882, in 
the same citj', where he had carried on business 
as a clothier. Mr. MacColl's mother was also 
b. in Glasgow, Sept. 2, 1826, and was the 
daughter of James Roberton, iron founder, of 
that city; she d. Dec. 27, 1S71, in her native 
cit\-. 

MACKILLOP, Robert Kelso, third child of 
James and Catherine (Kelso,) Mackillop, was 
born at Inverness, P. Q., Canada, Nov. 25, 
1847. He attended the public schools winters 
until he was 18 years old, and worked on his 
father's farm until 1867, when he came to the 
United States, where he found employment at 
the Manchester Locomotive works, Manchester, 



N. H. In i,S7i he came to Pro\i<leiice and 
went to work for Slade .S: Perrin. That firm 
had the contract to build the present city hall 
in Pawtucket, and in 1872, as foreman for that 
concern, Mr. Mackillop had charge of the 
inside finishing of the structure. After the 
completion of the city hall he went to work for 
Kenyon, Drown & Co., Pawtucket, and remained 
in their employ until 1879, when he formed a co- 
partnership with John W. Willmarth under the 
firm name of Willmarth & Mackillop as carpen- 
ters and builders. Tlie business pro.spered. 
The firm erected and now ojjerates at 48 and 50 
Dexter street one of the best ecjuipped works for 
the manufacture of builders' su])plies in the state. 
In 1881 Mr. Mackilloj) was married to Adela 
Jo.sephiue Phillips of Providence, and they have 
two children: Margery and Mildred Adela. 

James Mackillop, father of Robert, was 
born on the Island of Arran, off the coast of 
Scotland, and was descended from an old High- 
land family. The mother, Catherine Kelso, is 
a native of the same place. They came to Can- 
ada in 1828 with a company of people from their 
native island, who were dispossessed in order to 
make room for deer farms. These emigrants 
formed two shij) loads. In ])olitics Mr. Mac- 
killop is a Republican. 

riAQUIRE, John Thomas, was born in 
1844, and came with his parents from Ireland to 
Cranston, R. I., in 1846. The family remained 
in Cranston about .six years, then removed to 
vSmithfield, R. I., remained there until 1859, 
and from thence removed to East Greenwich, 
where John was employed in the printworks, 
assisting his father. In 1S61 John, being 
affected like many of his companions by the 
excitement caused by the rebellion, made up 
his mind to enlist. As he was then under age 
he could not join the company being enlisted 
in Ka.st Greenwich to form part of the 2d Rhode 
Island Regiment. Being determined, however, 
to enlist, he went to Providence, and without 
the knowledge or consent of his parents, joined 
Company II, 14th United States Infantry, then 
being recruited by Capt. Ross for the regular 
army. This regiment became a part of the 
armv of the Potomac and was in active service 



378 



I LLUSTR ATI' 1) 



I S T () R V O !• P A W'T UC K IC T. 




JOHN T. MAGUIRE, 

from the sict^e of Vorktowii to the cai)ture of 
Richiiiiiiul. 

Jolni served in Conip;ui\- II five and one 
half ^•eaI■s, re-enlisting before the end of his 
term for three more years. He was taken 
prisoner at the battle of Weldon Railroad, Au^. 
19, 1864, and was confined in Libby, Belle Isle, 
and Salisbury prisons. He was exchanged 
Feb. 22, 1S65, and joined his company in Rich- 
mond, \'a. The last part of his army service 
was spent in Arizona fighting the Apache 
Indians. He was honorably discharged and 
retnrned home via Lake Nicaragua in 1.S67. 
In the following spring he entered the eni])]o\- 
of the Hon. V . C. .Sayles, where he remained 
until 1H75, wIku he engaged in a general roof- 
ing business in which he still continues. 

Mr. Maguire was married in 1876 to Mary 
J. Daly of Pawtucket, and from this union two 
daughters were born. He is a member of Tower 
Post, G. A. R., and of the Pawtucket Business 
Men's Association. He is a Republican in 
national ]iolitics. 

MANCHESTER, William Cook, the eleventh 
child of Oliver and I,\-dia (Cook) Manchester, 
was born in Tiverton, R. I.. May 14, 1.S42. 
Leaving school at the age of 10 he worked on 



his father's farm, but finding this uncongenial 
he obtained employment in the spool room of 
tin.- Chase mill at Kail Ri\-er, from whence he 
went to Providence to learn the jewelry trade 
with Brown, Reynolds 6c Smith. I'])on a call 
for troops at the ojjeuing of the civil war he 
joined Co. A, 7th Massachusetts, and served 
from iSfii to 1864, when he was honorably dis- 
charged. He worked at spool m.iking until 
1S69, when he opened a restaurant, which la- 
sold out in 1875 to join with F. E. Miller, dealer 
in pictures and manufacturer of pictures frames. 
He purchased Mr. Miller's interest in 1876 and 
now carries on the business alone at the original 
stand, 63 Central street, corner High .street. 
Central P'alls, Mr. Manchester is a member of 
the Kuights of Pythias. He was married to 
Helen P. Gray of Warwick, R. I., b\ which 
union there have been three children : Helen M., 
William H. (deceased), and F,va L. 

HANN, Arthur Bucklin, the first child of 
Dr. Augustine Alvin and .Sarah Thomas (Buck- 
lin) Mann, was born in Central Falls, June 19, 
1866. He attended the public schools until he 
was 14 \ears old, then entered a ])rivate school 
in Central Falls, and completed his education 
in Mowry and Goff's English and Classical 
.School, Pro\-idence, from which he was gradu- 
ated in 1882. He then entered the Bryant & 
Stratton Business College, Providence, and 
afterwards studied draughting in the Rhode 
Island School of Design. Some of his designs 
were exhibited at the New Orleans Exposition. 
At the age of 17 he entered the office of the 
.Slater Cotton Co. as office boy, and in six years 
he was advanced to the position of chief clerk. 
In May, 1891, he was appointed agent and 
general manager of the United States Cotton 
Co. In this capacity he thoroughly reorgan- 
ized the entire business, so that it is now one of 
the most successful in New luigland and em- 
])l()>s o\-er 750 persons. Late in 1896 he resigned 
this position to become a partner in the firm of 
J. H. Martin ..S: Co., cotton goods brokers, 99 
P'ranklin slrct't. New X'ork. 

In politics Mr. Mann is a Repul)lican. He 
has been re]>eate(ll\- urged to accejit public 
office, but has declined to do so owing to the 



HI OCR A I'll IKS. 



pressure of private business. Mr. Mann is a 
member of the Pawtucket Congregational cluucli. 
He belongs to the New England Cotton Manii- 
facturers Association, the Boston Texlik- Chib, 
the Arkwright Club of New York, tlu- Paw- 
tucket Business Men's A.ssociation, the Rhode 
Island Yacht Club, the To Kalon Club of Paw- 
tucket, and the Providence Athletic Association. 
He is an enthusiastic athlete and at one time 
was the champion bicycle rider of Rhode Island. 
He is interested in amateur photography. 

Sept. i8, 1888, he was married to Carrie L. 
Wilkins of Randolph, Mass., by which union 
there were three children, one of whom is now 
living : Earnest W., b. March 2, 1892 ; Mildred, 
b. Nov. 15, 1890, d. June 26, 1896. 

Mr. Mann is descended from an oUl New 
England family who trace their ancestors back 
for many generations. His grandfather was 
born in Randolph, Mass., in 1806, and died 
there at the ripe old age of 81 years in 1887. 
His grandmother was Emeline R. Mitchell of 
Easton, Mass., and she died in 1890 at the age 
of 76. His father is a prominent physician in 
Central Falls. 

MARRAN, William, oldest son of John and 
Elizabeth (Cottrell) Marran, was born in Oxford 
County, Ontario, Canada, Jan. 11, 1848. He- 
attended the district school in the winter and 
worked on his father's farm in summer. At the 
age of 17 he went to Pennsylvania, where he 
was employed for two years in a coal mine. 
For one winter he worked in the Michigan lum- 
ber woods. He came to Rhode Island in March, 
1868, and located at East Providence. There 
he worked on a farm for a 3'ear, when he became 
a conductor on the Pawtucket and Providence 
horse cars, and followed this occupation for two 
years. F"or one year he was employed by H. 
(>. Aklrich in the e.xpress business, and after 
that worked in P. McNeal's fish market eight 
years and for T. vS. Cannon four years. June 
1885, he opened a fi.sh and fruit market of his 
own at 13 Broadway. The business steadily 
increased, and in May, 1895, he removed to his 
present quarters, 22 Broadway, where he con- 
ducts a flourishing business, and his market is 
the largest of its kind in Pawtucket. He is a 



member of St. Joseph's church. April, i<S73. he 
was married in Providence to Catherine McGee- 
lian, and they have had eight children : John, 
1). I'cl). 12, 1873, d. Feb. 12, 1873; Charles P., 
b. June 7, 1874, d. Sept. 7, 1874; Mary J., b. 
May 22, 1875, d. Oct. 23, 1875 ; Josephine, b. 
July 29, 1877, d. Feb. I, 1879; Joseph, b. July 
25. 1879, d. May 2, 1883; Mary A., b. Sept. 12, 
1882, d. Sept. 15, 1882; Annie E., b. Feb. 8, 
1884, d. F*eb. 13, 1884; William H., b. June 2, 
1886. Mr. Marran's maternal grandfather, 
William Cottrell, served in the war of 1S12, and 
his father was a soldier in the American arniv 
in the .Me.xican war. 

MARTIN, Richard, was born in Liverpool 
England, in 1861, and is the son of Peter and 
P'llen (Gillahan) Martin, In 1864, when Richard 
was three years old, his parents left Liver- 
pool for America and settled in Pawtucket, 
where they have resided e\er since. He 
attended the Pawtucket public schools, was 
graduated from the Grove street grammar 
school, and then went to a private school in 
Proviiience until he was 17 years old, when he 
entered a New York college to prepare for 
the profession of a lawyer. He was graduated 
in 18S2 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, 
and then took a .special course for three years 
in philosophy and ethics in Montreal. Return- 
ing home he took up the study of law with 
Abraham Payne, a leading lawyer of Provi- 
dence, who ranked among the most eminent 
attorne\s in the United States, being associated 
with General Benjamin Butler in many cases. 
Mr. Martin secured great benefits from his con- 
nection with Mr. Payne. He was admitted to 
the Rhode Island bar in July. 1888. He at 
once opened an office in Pawtucket and soon 
built up a lucrative practice. He is a bright, 
keen attorney and ranks in ability among the 
ablest lawyers in this region. His office is at 
No. 4 High street. He is a good speaker and 
has delivered many public addresses, the most 
notable of which was at the dedication of the 
Grove street grannnar school, from which he 
was graduateil. This address was published in 
full in the Pawtucket newspapers, and attracted 
marked attention. 



38o 



ILLl'STR ATi:i) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT. 



After liis return from Montreal in 18S5 he 
engaged actively in politics, and l)ecame one of 
ihe leading spirits in the Democratic party in 
Pawtucket. For several years he was a mem- 
ber of the Democratic city committee hut in 
iSgi resigned from that body, because he had 
become a believer in the protective polic\ . He 
has since been prominent in the local councils 
of the Republican party, was a member of the 
Republican city conunittee for two years, and 
has attentled many city, state and congressional 
conventions. For three years past he has been 
clerk of the finance committee of the Rliode 
Island House of Re])resentatives. He is a 
member of the Knights of l'\lbius, Sterling 
Lodge, Sterling Division, I'. R., K. P., Kniglits 
of Khorassan. In 18.S6 Mr. Martin was married 
to Mrs. Abby Cirace Davis, (nee Mason.) She 
is of re\-olutionary stock on both sides nl lier 
familx'. 

HARTIN, William John, the oldest child 
of Henry and Margaret (Oibson) Martin, was 
born in Bangor, County Down, Ireland. He 
went to school in Killyleagh until be was 10 
years old and then in Belfast until he was 13, 
when he began to learn the trade of a carjienter. 
He followed this occupation for six years, when 
at the age of 19, he came to this countr\ and 
settled at Pawtucket. He worked for 13 years 
at his trade for \\' . F. & ¥. C. Sayles, but in 
1890 he took a position at the Dunnell print- 
works as a.ssistant to Edward O'Brien, master 
mechanic, and still retains this situation. In 
politics Mr. Martin is a Democrat. In 1890 he 
was elected clerk of the Central Falls school 
district and served two years. He was elected 
aldernuui from the fourth ward at the first cit>- 
election in Central F'alls, and was reelected for 
1896. He is a member of Holy Trinity church. 
Central F'alls. Oct. 19, 1880, he was married 
to Catherine Frances Sherlock of Central Falls, 
and then began his residence in that place. 
They have six children : Mary Henrietta, b. 
Sept. 14, 1881 ; Catherine Frances, b. Dec. 23, 
1883, d. Jan. I, 1885; Margaret Theresa, b. 
Mays, 1886; George, b. Nov. 18, 1888; William 
John, b. Feb. 14, 1891 ; Winifred Loui.se, b. 
Nov. 9, 1893. 




MATHIEU, Joseph Edouard Victor, H, D., 

Central b'alls, was born in .St. Barnabe, county 
of St. Hyacinthe, Province of Quebec, Aug. 8, 
1856, and is the son of Edouard and Rosalie 
(Lapre) Mathieu. His ancestors on both sides 
came from Normandy, France, about the six- 
teenth century, and with others of the name 
were among the first settlers of the Island of 
Orleans, near the city of Quebec. His father 
was born in St. Ours, Richelieu, P. Q., and when 
twenty-two years old removed to St. Barnabe, 
where he engaged in business, keeping a coun- 
try store and exporting the farmer's produce. 
He was postmaster for sixteen years, and mayor 
for twenty years; in 1872 he removed to the city 
of vSt. Hyacinthe, accepting a railroad agency, 
a position which he occupied until his death in 
1895. Jose]>h's mother was born in St, Barnabe, 
and was educated in the convent LaPresenta- 
tion at St. llsacintlie. He received his early 
education in the parochial school until the age 
of II, when he etitered the St. Hyacinthe Semi- 
nary and pursued a classical course. He 
studied medicine at the Victoria L'niversity of 





JAMES L. JENKS, 

CITY SOLICITOR, PAWTUCKET. 



GEORGE W. PAYNE, 

MANUFACTURER OfJcOTTON AND WOOtEN MACHINERY. 





SAMUEL G. STINESS, 

iflANAGEH OF PAWTUCKET GAS CO. FOR MANY YEA 



EDMUND W. ORSWELL, 

TREASURER BLODGETT A ORSWEU CO. 



382 



ILLUSTRATI' I) HISTORY () 1' PAWT U C K i: T 



Montreal, from which lie received his degree ol 
Doctor of Medicine in 1.S79. .Soon after his 
graduation he came to Rhode Island and 
engaged in the practice of his profession in Cen- 
tral Falls, where he has since resided. Dr. Malhieu 
has held the office of coroner for the cit\ til Cen 
tral I'alls since 1S93, and is medical examiner 
(or the Equitable Life Assurance Society of 
New York, and the New York Mutual Reserve 
l'"und Association. He is also physician for 
the Loyal Mount Hope Lodge, of Odd Fellows; 
Court Flower of Dexter of the Ancient Order of 
Foresters of America; Lodge No. 277, Order of 
the Sons of St. George; Lady Lincoln Lodge, 
No. 46, Order of the Daughters of St. George ; 
the Association of St. Jean Baptiste of Central 
Falls: and the Catholic Knights of America. 
He is a member of the Pawtucket Medical 
Society and of the Rhode Island Medical Society, 
also of most of the local societies and social 
organizations. Dr. Mathieu was married Feb. 
14, 1882, to Amanda Blanche Richer, of St. 
Hyacinthe, P. Q. They have had three child- 
ren : Yvonne, b. F'eb. 22, 1883, d. Feb. 28, 
1885; Bertha Corinne, b. Dec. 25, 1885; and 
Estelle Marie Mathieu b. Sept. 1890. 

MASON, Frederick R., second child of 
Roljert Durfee and Mary Bicknell (Nicholas) 
Mason, was born in Pawtucket, March 11, 1859. 
He attended the public schools of his native 
town and the private .school of Rev. C. M. 
Wheeler of Providence, and completed his edu- 
cation at Brown University, taking a two years' 
course in chemistry. In 1880 he became assist- 
ant to his father in the management of his 
manufacturing establishment, and in 1889 was 
admitted into partnership, the firm name then 
becoming R. D. Mason & Co. When the business 
was incorporated under the name of the Robert 
D. Mason Co. he was elected its treasurer, 
which position he now holds. 

In politics he is a Republican. He is a 
member of St. Paul's Episcopal church. He 
was for .several years secretary of the T. K. 
Club. June 6, 1894, he was married to Annie 
]•'.. Boon of Providence. Both his parents are 
natives of Pawtucket; his mother was b. Dec. 
31, 1834, and d. Aug. 20, 1890. 



MASON, Robert Durfee, the head of the 
oldest lileaching and (hcing establishment in 
Pawtucket, was born at Pawtucket. March lo. 
1832, and was the .second sou of RobL-rt 1). and 
Mehitable Tyler (Merry) Mason. He attended 
tlic public schools until he was 16 years old, 
wlicn he went to Taunton, .Mass.. to learn the 
sash and blind trade with his brother, .\fler 
working at his trade for i.s months he returned 
to Pawtucket and went into the bleachery and 
dyeing works then conducted by his uncle 
vSamuel Merrj- and which had been established 
by his grandfather Barney Merry in 1805 (see 
page 152.) He acquired a perfect knowledge 
of the business and in 1861 was appointed super- 
intendent, which position he held until 1866, 
when he was admitted into partnership, and 
this relation continued until 1S70 when the 
works were damaged by an explosion causing 
much financial loss. His uncle and partner 
thereupon retired from active business, when 
the name of the firm was changed to Robert D. 
Mason & Co., and the Dexter brothers became 
his business as.sociates ; but in 1876 he purchased 
their interests, and in 1889 he admitted liis son, 
Frederick R., as a partner. 

In 1892 the business was incorporated under 
the name of the Robert D. Mason Co., and re- 
moved to its present location on Main street, 
where the plant is regarded as one of the best 
equipped in this country, ha\-ing all the modern 
improvements and the latest labor sa\'ing ma- 
chinery. An idea can be had of the growth of 
the enterprise when it is known that the capacity 
of the original works was 1500 pounds per day 
while the capacity of the present establishment 
is 20,000 pounds per day. Mr. Mason is presi- 
dent of the company and his son Frederick R. is 
treasurer. 

In politics Mr. Mason is a Republican. 
For 14 years he served as one of the three water 
commissioners of Pawtucket. He is one of the 
original members of the Pawtucket Business 
Men's Association, and is a mend)er of the 
American Legion of Honor. He has been a 
life-long attendant of St. Paul's I\])iscopaI 
church. In May, 1852, he was married to 
Mary Bicknell Nicholas of Pawtucket, by which 



Hi()(iR APiii i>:s. 



383 



union there aru two chiklrcn, Ella Frances, b. 
Nov. 16, 1H53, and Frederick Robert, b. March 
II, 1S59. His first wife d. Aug. 20, i8go, and 
he was married to Mary Adeline Havens of 
Pawtucket, Oct. 28, 1893. 

Mr. Mason has been closely identified with 
the i>roy;ress and development of his native cit)'. 
He is interested in various enterprises, is well 
kniiwn in business circles and has the esteem of 
all with whom he associates. His father died 
in Pawtucket, July 26, 1832, when but 30 j-ears 
old. four months after the birth of Robert ; he 
was engaged as a merchant tailor as appears in 
an advertisement in the Pawtucket Chronicle of 
Oct. 7, 1826, which announced that he had 
established a tailor shop " over M. Read and 
Company's store, directly opposite the Paw- 
tucket Hotel." 

MATHEWSON, Thomas A., was born in 
North Scituate, R. I., March 31, 1825. The 
Mathewson family originated in Scotland. On 
coming to this country early in the last century 
they settled in North Scituate. Here Simon 
Mathewson, father of Thomas A., was born 
March 6, 1797, and married Amie Angell, May 
10, 1822. Thomas A. was a machinist and 
inventor of unusual ability. From 1868 to the 






THOMAS A. MATHEWSON. 



LESTER I. MATHEWSON, 



time of his death he was a member of the firm 
of Payne & Mathewson, now G. W. Payne iS: 
Co., builders of upright spoolers and patent 
cone winders. Much of the success of this 
concern was due to his skill as a mechanic and 
administrator. He married Mary A. Merrill, 
who was born in Nobleboro, Me., Jan. 8, 1827, 
and is still living. She comes of sturdy English 
stock, but her ancestors have lived in America 
for generations. To Mr. and Mrs. Mathewson 
were born four children : Jane E., Ocella, \'ella, 
and Lester I. Mr. Mathewson died very suddenly 
of apolexy in Philadelphia, Oct. 11, 1880. 

MATHEWSON. Lester I., son of Thomas 
A. and ^lary A., was born in Nobleboro, Me., 
April 10, i860, and came to Pawtucket in 1867, 
where he received his education in the public 
schools. He was a graduate of the high school 
in 1880. After leaving school he worked for 
Payne & Mathewson until the death of his 
father. He then attended the Bryant & Stratton 
Business College in Providence. From there 
he went to work for the jewelry firm of T. L 
Smith & Co., of North Attleboro. He was the 
New York salesman of that firm when he ter- 
minated his connection with them in 1887 to go 



3«4 



I I,I.rSTRAT]';i) HISTORY O !• PAW T r C K !■: T. 



into the finu dI J.N. I'oIscn' iS; Co., box mami- 
factiirers ol Uiis cilw of which he is still a 
iiieniljer. 

Mr. Mathewsoii is an aUi.-nilanl nl the Con- 
gregational chnrcli. He is a nKinluT ol suxtial 
social and fraternal organizations. In iSS(> Ik- 
was married to PCrniinie Rohhins in Norwich. 
Conn., and they have two children : Ivlla Rob- 
bins, b. 1.S90, and Doris Roath, 1). iS(j4. 

MASSriANN, Adolph W., confectioner an.l 
restaurateur, was born in 1.S57, at Hamburg, 
Germany, where he learned the trade of a candy 
maker or confectioner. In iSiS8 he came to 
America and worked for J. H. RoV)erts & Co., 
of Providence, being foreman of the candy fac- 
torv of that firm for nine \ears. In 1890 he 
came to Pawtucket and opened and operated a 
confectionerj^ store at his present location, 209 
Main street. The business prospered from the 
start and recently he has enlarged his quarters 
and added thereto a first-class restaurant which 
is much patronized by ladies. Mr. Massmann 
has made a reputation with his candies and ice 
cream. He uses only the best selected materials. 
He is a member of Enterprise Lodge, I.O.O.F. 
June, 1S93, he was married to Louisa Jeuks of 
Pawtucket, daughter of Isaac T. Jenks. 

McCABE, Bernard, the fourth child of 
Hugh and Catherine (McEntee) McCabe, was 
born in Pawtucket, March i, 1848. His father 
was born in Ireland but came to America in 
1843 and settled in Pawtucket. Leaving school 
at 15. Bernard was employed in the Pervear 
Bolt Works but relinquished that situation to 
learn the trade of blacksmith with Allen Green 
at Providence. When a journeyman he found 
employment in Boston, but returned to Paw- 
tucket in 1875. when he joined with Michael 
Whalen and opened a general blacksmithing 
and wheelright shop. In 1880 he purchased 
Mr. Whalen's interest, and in 1887 he erected 
the building now occupied by him for the manu- 
facture of carriages and wagons and al.so a 
wheelright and blacksmith .shop, corner of Main 
and Bay ley streets. He also conducts a .store 
at 345 Main street for the sale of the Eowler 
and other bicycles. In national politics Mr. 
McCabe is a Democrat, but in local matters he 



is an indei)endent. In Jnl\', 1891, he was mar- 
ried to laien M. l'.ra(l> <<{ Attleboro, Mass. 

McCALLUn, Charles A., was born in New 
York citv, Dec. 31, 1869, and is the tenth child 
of Charles and Margaret (Mcnnily) McCallum. 
His parents were nali\es of the- North ol Ireland 
and are of .Scotch ancestr\-. They came to this 
conntr\- some lime in the 4()'s. He attended 
the New York public schools until he was 14 
\ears old. He then studied ])ri\atel\ and finall\- 
fitted himself for his present jirofession of regis- 
tered jiharmacist. Meanwhile he had worked 
as a drv goods clerk and at various other occu- 
pations, but onl\' as a means of securing the 
eilucation and training he desired. 

In 1891 Mr. McCallum purchased the drug- 
gist store he now conducts at 88 Central .street, 
Central P'alls. This business was started here 
in 1883. Under Mr. McCallum's management 
it has steadily increased each year and now is 
in a prosperous condition. 

Dec. 31, 1890, Mr. McCallum was married 
in Pawtucket to Abigail Clarkson. Three 
children are the result of the union : Ida 
Estella, b. April 2. 1892; \'ivian Harcourt 
Clark.son, b. Sept. 30, 1893; and Myrtle Mell- 
wood, b. Dec. 21, 1894. The fir.st two were born 
in Central F'alls and the last in Pawtucket. Mr. 
McCallum is a member of the Episcopal church 
and of the Young Men's Christian Associatiou. 
He also belongs to the United Workmen, the 
Red Men, the Foresters, the Rhode Island 
Wheelmen, and the league of American Wheel- 
men. For the pa.st five years he has been 
local constd for the last named organization. 

McCAUGHEY, Bernard, is one of the best 
known and most successful business men in 
Pawtucket. He was born at Lismore, near 
Clagher, County T\rone, Ireland, Jan. 19, 
1844, and is the seventh child of James .'ind 
Isabella (O'Neill) McCaughey, who were the 
parents of ten children — nine sons and one 
daughter. His fatlu-r in early lite was a hantl- 
loom linen \\ea\'er, but afterwards took to farm- 
ing and road making, and at the time of his 
death in iSdi was the largest road contractor in 
that ]iart of the countrv. — His mother was a 
woman of great force of character and took 









1 

i 




ra 




J 




f 



STEPHEN DEXTER ANGELL, 
NCY GOODS, BOOTS AND SHOES, ETC., 



JAMES E. BANIGAN, 





DAVID B. LEMLEY, 

AND FINISHING, NEW BLEACHERY, SAYLES 



JAMES F. BARRY, 

JAHRV, MFG. JEWELERS, PflOVIDEN 





CHARLES R. BUCKLIN, 
OF BUCKLIN d TRE SCOTT, LEATHER MANUF 



WALDO TRESCOTT, 
OF BUCKLIN A TRESCOTT, LEATHER MANUFACTURERS. 



386 



ILT.U.STRATl'.n HISTORY O !• I'AWTrCKIvT. 



iiiucli pride in the history of hvv laiuilx , lliu 
O'Neills of Ivrrigle Keiraii, Tvioir-. 

Bernard obtained his education in the 
national schools of his native land. At the age 
of 15 he went to work in a bakery, where he 
was employed for six years. Oct. 9, 1865, he 
left Ireland in a sailing ship and arrived in New 
York, Nov. 12, with $12.50 in his possession. 




BERNARD McCAUGHEY 

ri'CAUGHEV A CO., HOUSE-FURNISHING GOODS 



He went to Taunton, Mass., obtained a job as 
a baker, which occupation he followed until 
June, 1S66, when he went to work in the 
Taunton Locomotive Works, where he remained 
until Jan., 1867. He then came to Providence, 
R. I., was employed in the Burnside Locomo- 
tive Works until August, 1867, and worked for 
Francis Hackett on Atwells avenue for thirteen 
months. 



He then engaged with Flint & Co. of Provi- 
dence, as a tin pe<ldler, driving a well-stocked 
wagon throughout the country as was cu.stom- 
ary at that period. For ten )-ears he followed 
this calling with that firm. In 1S78 he went 
into business for himself with a wagon, purchas- 
ing his goods from Anthony & Cowell, and con- 
tinued this business until March, 18S4, when he 
came to Pawtucket and liired a store 
on North Main street in the old horse 
car barn, and started as a storekeeper 
on his own account. Since then he has 
enlarged his store six times, now occu- 
pies the whole building and has also 
added a stor\- and a half to the struc- 
ture. In iS.Sy he was granted a patent 
on a dripping pan, for which he received 
two medals from the Rhode Island So- 
ciety for the Encouragement of Domestic 
Industry. Mr. McCaughey's .specialty 
is hou.se furnishing goods. The store 
occupies a building four .stories high, 
and the floor space is over 30,000 square 
feet. In connection with the retail de- 
partment is a storehouse three stories 
high, a sliort distance in the rear, cover- 
ing a large amount of space. 

In religion Mr. McCaughex' is a 
Catholic and is a member of St. Joseph's 
church. He is a member of the Catholic 
Knights of America. He is much inter- 
ested in temperance work, and was vice- 
president and treasurer of the Bronson 
Lyceum of Providence, was president 
of the St. Joseph's Temperance Society, 
and also vice-president of the Temper- 
ance I'uion of the Diocese of Providence. 
In 1894 he was a delegate to the Tem- 
jierance Convention held in St. Paul, 
and in 1895 to the one held in New York. 

July 24, 1870, he was married to Bridget 
Leonard, and they have had five children : 
Mary, b. Aug. 17, 1S71, d. July 21, 1S91; 
vSadie, b. Feb. 9, 1874: Bella, b. June 24, 
1876; James, b. Oct. 17, 187.S; Katie, b. Oct. 
15, 18S2. 

ncCAUQHEY, Edward, third child of John 
and .\nn McCaughey, was born in l'ro\idcnce, 



BIOGRAPIIl J';S. 



387 



R. I,, ill 1S44. His parents moved to Paw- 
luckft, wiiL-re Ivdward attended the parochial 
and public schools. When 14 years old he was 
employed in the Potter cotton mill on River 
street, and later at the Duiinell ])rint\vorks : 
then ill the old Stone mill, and after- 
wards in tlie old Cireene cotton mill. He 
learned all the details of the cotton mill busi- 
ness and became a skilled workman. He then 
entered the employ of John Martin in the ex- 
press and teaming business and became a 
trusted messenger. He then learned to be a 
mason, which trade he followed for 11 years. 
In 1876 he went into the emplo)- of Charles 
McNulty, grocer, 105 School street, where he 
is now holding the position of confidential clerk 
and manager during the absence of his em- 
ployer. In 1887 and 1888 he was a member of 
the city council from the second ward and again 
in 1895 and 1897. He was also a member of 
the Democratic city committee. Mr. McCaughe}" 
is a member of St. Joseph's Catholic church, 
the A. O. H., the Seekonk Democratic club, 
the Pawtucket Veteran Firemen's Association, 
and of the Young Irelanders Society. In 1865 
he was married to Mar}- Moriarty of Pawtucket, b}' 
which union there were 13 children 10 of whom 
are living : John, Elizabeth, Katherine, James, 
Patrick, Joseph, Owen, Charles, William, Anne. 
Mr. McCaughey's parents were born in Count)' 
T\ioiie, Ireland. 

McCAUGHEY, Joseph H., was born in Paw- 
tucket, April, 1.S64, and is the fourth child of 
Patrick and Margaret (Ferris) McCaughey. 
His father was born in Tyrone, Ireland, in 
1826, came to this country in 1836, and died in 
Pawtucket in 1890. His mother was born in 
Taunton. Joseph attended the public schools 
of his native city until he was 16 years old, 
when he worked in a newspaper and periodical 
store for two years. He then served three 
years as an apprentice at the plumbing trade, 
and for nine years thereafter worked as a jour- 
ne\iiiaii in various shops. In 1892 he started 
ill business for himself at 74 Main street, where 
he remained a little over two years. In 1S95 
he removed to Broadway, but in February, 
1896, he opened the shop at his present stand. 



69 Main street. His business has steadily in- 
creased, and has been uniformly successful 
since the start. In politics Mr. McCaughey is 
an independent. He was elected a member of 
the city council from the second ward in 1894. 
In religion he is a Catholic. In 1889 he was 
married to Bridget Fallon of Pawtucket, and 
they have had four children : Annie, Jo.seph 
(deceased), William and Jose])li. 

McDUFF, Henry Charles, the first child of 
James and Katherine (O'Neil) McDuff, was 
born in Pawtucket, Sept. 7, 1859, and died 
April 20, 1896. He attended the public schools 
until his fifteenth year when he entered A. 
G. Scholfield's Commercial College, Providence, 
from which he was graduated in 1876. For 
one year he was bookkeeper for I). C. Wood, 
hatter and furrier, Providence. In 1879 he 
became bookkeeper to and later traveling sales- 
man for William (». R. Mowry & Co., lumber 
dealers. Providence, and occupied a similar 
position with the Warmbeck Lumber Co.. of 
Bethlehem, N. H. In 1889 he opened a lum- 
ber 3-ard in Darlington, at 466 Cottage street, 
Pawtucket, which he continued until the time 
of his death and made a pronounced success of 
the enterprise. He was al.so a member of the 
City Coal Co. from its formation. 

In politics Mr. McDuff was a Democrat. 
He served the old town of Pawtucket, after the 
consolidation, as clerk, moderator and warden 
of the eastern district, and in 1886-7 represented 
the second ward in the city council. He was a 
member of the New England Order of Protec- 
tion, and attended St. Joseph's Catholic church. 
Oct. 24, 1888, he was married to Sarah H. 
O'Brien of Clinton, Mass.. to whom two child- 
ren were born : Henry C Jr., b. Jan. 31, iSyi : 
Madeline C, b. Nov. 27, 1893. Mr. McDuff's 
parents were both born in Ireland — his father 
in the County Tyrone, Jan. ig, 1833, and his 
mother in Count}- Leitrim, Aug. 17, 1837. 

ricOOWAN, riichael, superintendent of 
constniction at the New England PMectrolytic 
Copper Co.. Central F^alls, was born in Paw- 
tucket, Sept. I, 1850, and is the oldest child of 
Terence and Mary (Killian) McGowan. He 
obtained his education in the public and paro- 



388 



1 1,1, r ST rati: I) iiistorv oi- pawtuckkt. 



•fefc. 




MICHAEL McGOWAN, 

SUPERINTENDENT OF CONSTRUCTION, N. E. ELECTROLYTIC COPPER CO. 

chial schools of Pawtucket. When 15 years 
old he went to work in a store, and three years 
later he began to learn the trade of a carpenter 
and millwright with Lewin, Fisk & Kenyon, with 
which firm he remained until i8y8. He then 
had charge of the construction and repairs at 
the tainiery of William Coupe, tanner, South 
Attleboro, for fifteen years. When the New 
England PHectrolytic Copper Works were started 
by H. R. Caulfield in 1892, Mr. McGowan was 
engaged as master mechanic, which position he 
has since continued to hold, and has charge of 
all the repairs in the works. Mr. McGowan, 
since his youth, has been interested in the fire 
department. He joined the department in 1868 
as a hoseman, and when he resigned in 1874 
was an engineer. He was connected with the 
Rhode Island Steam Fire Engine No. i, which 
occupied the building on North Main street 
now used as the police station. While not now 
connected with the fire department officially, lie 



has rendered very valualile assistance at a num- 
ber of large fires by taking charge of volunteers 
and fighting the flames. He is a prominent 
member of the Pawtucket Veteran Firemen's 
Association, having ser\ed four years as fir.st 
assistant foreman, and two years as foreman 
At one time he was a member of the Sheridan 
L,ight Infantry, Pawtucket. 

In politics Mr. McCiOwan is an independ- 
ent. He attends vSt. Joseph's Catholic church. 
May II, 1876, he was married to .Susan .\. 
McNamara, who died Oct. 1, i.Slj2. Seven 
children — four boys and three girls — were born 
to them, and of these three girls and two boys 
are li\-ing. 

HcGREOOR, Rev. Alexander, the jjastor of 
the Pawtucket Congregational cliurch, is the 
eldest son of Dugald and Louisa McGregor, and 
was born in Glasgow, Scotland, Ajiril 3, 1S34. 
He received his classical education at Ivlin- 
burgh, vScotland, and at Toronto, Canada. His 
first ministerial charge was at Brockville, ( )n- 
tario, where he remained eight j-ears. He was 
then called to Yarmouth. Nova Scotia, where 
he remained for 12 years. In 1883 he came to 
Pawtucket and entered on his present pastorate. 
He has been closeh* identified through all his 
public life with educational work, having l^een 
a director of the Congregational College, Mon- 
treal, and a fellow of the vSenate of the Halifax 
li niversit)-. He is also a trustee of the Wheaton 
Seminarj-, Norton, Mass. In addition he is 
secretary of the Congregational Home Mission- 
ary Society of Rhode Island, president of the 
Rhode Island Congregational Clul), and an 
honorary member of Clan Eraser. In ])olitics 
he is a Republican. On June i^ iS.tS, he was 
married to Mary McDougal, b\- which union 
there were nine children : F'ben, William, Jes- 
sie Eoui.se, Alexander, C>eorge R. 1)., Mary F., 
Lizzie Dudley, Jeanie Dennis and Una Clari.ssa. 

Mr. McGregor's father was a minister of the 
gospel in Scotland and Canada, and his (our 
brothers are activeh' engaged in the same ])ro- 
fession in \arious parts ol Canada and the 
United Slates. 

HcKENNA, Frank Augustus, M. D., was 
born in Pawtucket, Sept. 8, 1S66. He is the 





RICHARD MARTIN, 



WILLIAM J. MARTIN, 
ASSISTANT MASTER MECMAHIC, DUMBEll. > 





DR. J. M. MclLVAIN 



FRANK A. McKENNA, M.D. 

3 BROADWAY. 




^ 



>5^ yhf^ 



X 




JAMFS A. MONCRIEF, 

TREASURER AND GENERAL MANAGER PAWTUCKET STEA 



BERNARD McCABE, 

BLACKSMITH AND CARRIAGE MANUPACTURER. 



ti 



390 



ILLUvSTRATKD HISTORY OF PAWTUCKHT. 



second child of F'rancis and Mary A. McKenna. 
His father was also born in Pawtucket in 1S44. 
and the family have now been in this coinitrx 
for three generations. Frank A. attended llu- 
Pawtucket public schools. He began in 1SS4 
to study medicine with Dr. davlord, who was 
one of the best known phxsicians on the cast 
side, Pawtucket. This olTicc studs- he sui)])lc- 
mented by a nic-dical course in the Universit\- of 
New York, and Ik- was graduated from the col- 
lege of Pliysicians and Surgeons of Haiti nK)rf, 
Md., with the degree of M. 1)., April i, 1.S93. 
In the same year he began the practice of his 
profession in his native city, and he has estab- 
lished a reputation for skill. His practice is 
steadily increasing. His office is at 3 Broadway, 
where he pursued his studies for 1 1 years. 

HcKENNA, Frank, was born in County 
Monaghan, Ireland, July 14, 1857, and is the 
eighth child of James and Marj- (McCarron) Mc- 
Kenna. He attended the national schools of 
his nalixc country until his 14th j-ear and con- 
tinued his studies in the night schools of Central 
halls, whither he had moved with his parents in 
1.S73. He learned the trade of a brass founder 
and worked at it until 1890, when he established 
the Cit)' Brass Foundry at 9 Slater avenue, his 
present location. He attends the Sacred Heart 
Catholic church, Pawtucket ; is a mend)er, and 
has been president of the S. H. C. T. A. vS., of 
Central Falls. Oct. 15, 1889, he was married to 
Ellen McNeil of Pawtucket and they have four 
children, James, b. Dec. 22, 1891 ; Mary, b. 
July 29, 1893: I'rancis, 1). Dec. 15, 1S94; Ellena, 
1). .\pril 13, iS(/.. 

MclLVAIN, J. riorton, n. I)., D. D. S., was 
born at Churchville, Harford county, Maryland. 
His family originated in Scotland, and his first 
American ancestors came to this country- jirior 
to 1776. His grandfather, Jeremiah, was b. at 
Chester, Penn., P'eb. 2, 1808; his grandmother, 
Ann Cro.sty Morton, a granddaughter of John 
Morton, the signer of the declaration of inde- 
pendence, was b. at Morton, Pa., Aug. 2, 1804. 
His father, George \V. was b. at Morton, and 
married Rachela, daughter of Dr. Samuel J. 
Ramsay, examining surgeon for the Ihiionarmy 
during the war of the rebellion. Dr. Ramsay 



was a nephew of Col. Ramsay of the war of 181 2 
and a relative of David Ramsay the historian. 

Tjion leaving Trinity School, Churchville, 
where he received his preliminary schooling, 
voung Mcllvain entered Swarthmore College, 
Pa., and pursued a scientific course ; then taking 
up his j)rofessional studies, after several years resi- 
dence in California, he received the degree of D. 
I). S. from the University of Michigan and later 
the degree of M. D., from the University of 
Mar\land. In 1892 he registered as a dentist in 
Providence and came to Pawtucket in 1895. 
He is a mend^er of Union Lodge, No. 10, A. F'. 
and A. M. He is not an active church member, 
but leans towards the belief of the Hicksite 
Friends. In politics he is a Republican. 

McMANUS, Peter Bingham, proprietor of 
the Home Bleach and I)>e Works, was born in 
Crlasgow, Scotland, March 24, 1837, and is the 
third child of Daniel and Margaret (Bingham) 
McManus. He attended the .schools of his 
native city until he was nine years old, when 
he was sent to the bleaching and dyeing estab- 
li.shment of Gettis «& Son, Glasgow, to learn the 
business. After becoming a proficient workman 
he was employed in Paisley, vScotland, and 
Belfast, Ireland. At the latter place he had 
full charge of the works. In 1.S70 he came to 
America, locating first at Lewi.stou, Me. From 
there he went to Walpole, Mass., where he was 
stationed for ten years. 

In 1882 he came to Pawtucket to manage 
the bleaching and dyeing department of the 
Union Wadding Company, but three years 
later purchased the business, which he has 
since conducted under the name of the Home 
Bleach and Dye Works. In 1889 he lea.sed the 
X'alle)' Falls Dyeing and Bleaching W^orks, but 
in 1892 the buildings were destroyed by fire. 
That part of the business he then transferred to 
his original ]>lant, which is one of the best 
equipped ol its kind in Xew England. The 
business has steadily grown under Mr. Mc- 
Mainis's control and from an original force of 
20, there are now 123 employees. 

Mr. McManus is a member of Union Lodge, 
A. I", and A. M., a Knight Teni])Iar, a .Shriner, 
an honorary member of the G. A. R., and of the 



E I O G R A P II I Iv S . 



391 



Veteran Firemen's Association, and belongs to 
the I'awtucket Business Men's Association. 
August, 1859, he was married to Mar\- Hunter 
of Glasgow, Scotland. 1)\- which union there 
were eight children, fi\-e having died, ka\ing 
Peter B. Jr., b. Dec. ;,i, 1S71 ; Mary, b. Jul\' 1, 
'•"^T.i : J'^li". !'■ -^lay 29, 1876. 

HEIKLEJOHN, John Watt, was bom in 
Glasgow, Scotland, May, 1S63, and is the fourth 
child of James and Elizabeth (France) Meikle- 
john. His family was originally from Denny, 
Stirling.shire, vScotland. In 1880 James with 
his wife and children came to America and 
settled in .\p])onaug, R. I. The father and 
mother are still living, and the former is a fore- 
man at the Duiniell printworks. John W. 
attended the board schools in England until he 
was sixteen years old. He then taught school 
for two sessions and afterwards worked with his 
father at calico printing. In 1 884 he established 
a small store on Park place, at first dealing in 
new.spapers, sheet music and notions, but his 
business rapidly increased and he soon added 
pianos to his stock, and enlarged his store 
by hiring more room. In 18S6 he took George 
Lomas into partnership in the piano business, 
and the firm became known as Meiklejohn & 
Lomas. His present commodious quarters at 7 
North Union .street were first occupied in 1S87. 
Mr. Lomas retired from the concern in 1S89, 
wlien Mr. Meiklejohn's father and his brother 
Andrew were admitted to the firm, which then 
took the name of John W. Meiklejohn (S: Co. 
During these changes the business grew stead i I \-. 
A specialty is made of the Estey pianos. 

Mr. Meiklejohn conceived the idea that a 
hall for concerts, assemblies and high-class 
entertainments was essential in Pawtucket. 
He impressed his belief on others, and finalh- 
induced Callender, McAuslan & Troup Co., of 
Providence, to erect in 1894 the Auditorium on 
the corner of Common and George .streets, 
opposite Wilkinson park. His firm has a lease 
of the building for ten years and Mr. Meiklejohn 
is the manager. The Pawtucket Polo Team 
plays all its games in this building, and Mr. 
Meiklejohn owns ilie franchise and is the mana- 
ger of the dull. The success of the enteqjrise 



has fully justified Mr. Meiklejohn's forecasts 
and business acumen. In politics Mr. Meikle- 
john is a Republican. Since 1894 he has been 
one of the license commissioners. He is a 
member of the Pawtucket Congregational 
church. In social and fraternal societies he 
takes an active interest, and belongs to the 
Knights of Pythias, the Order of Scottish Clans, 
the New England Order of Protection and the 
T. K. Club. He was married April 24, 1S95, 
to Miss Agnes Potter and they ha\-e one 
child. 

MICLETTE, Oliver, was born March 20, 
i8;i9, at Marieville, P. y., where he attended 
the public schools until the age of 12; and sub- 
sequently took a collegiate course at Chambly. 
For ten years he engaged in farming in Califor- 
nia, but returned to his native country and 
continued as a farmer until 1882 when he came 
to Pawtucket and opened a grocery^ and provi- 
sion store, corner Harrison and Slater streets, 
where he was stationed until 1892, when he 
moved to his present quarters, corner Capital 
and Slater streets. He is a member of the 
Catholic Knights of America, of the Society of 
St. Jean the Baptiste, the Union of St. John, 
and the Granite Building Association. Nov. 
10, 1867, he was married to Ann O'Gara of 
Lawrence, Mass., sister of Rev. Thomas F. 
O'Ciara of Wilmington, Illinois. 

niLLER, Joseph Williams, was born in 
Pawtucket, Oct. 12, 1830, and was the fourth 
child of Joseph anil Charlotte (Bagley) Miller. 
He attended the public schools and when 16 
years old became clerk in his father's grocery 
store on North Main .street. He entered the 
machine shop of Thomas J. Hill to learn the 
machinist trade and as a journeyman worked 
for the Pawtucket Hair Co., James S. Brown, 
and Northup & Thurber, after which he estab- 
lished himself in the business of a wholesale and 
retail grocer, which he abandoned in 1S71 to 
give his whole attention to his real e.state pro- 
perties. In 1892 he was elected a member of 
the board of alderman from the fourth wanl 
and has been reelected every year since. Oct. 
22, 1S52, he was married to Hannah E. Hamlin 
of Providence, b\' which union there are two 



392 



I I, LI" S 'PR ATI'; I) HISTORY 1" I'AWTl'CKKT 



children : Frank Webster, b. Nov. 12 KS53, and 
Charles Mortimer, b. Jnly 25, i86<S. 

niLLER, Reuben K., was horn in Atllehoro, 
Mass., Dec. 22, iS;,2, and is the fifth cliikl of 
Ira K. and Mary A. (Bullock) Milkr. Ik- 
attended the public .schools at Attleboni and 
also at Pawtucket, to which town his parcnls 
had removed, until he was 16 years old, wIkii 
he went to work in the ]>rintworks at Manchcs 
ter, X. H. He returned to Pawtucket in 1S41J, 
and joined his father who was a meat and pro\i- 
•sion dealer, and much of the business was 
carried on by means of wagons. To this brancli 
of the business Reuben paid special attention 
and subsequently purchased his father's inter- 
est. In 1S65 he connected himself with Edwin 
Darling as manager of the Main street market, 
corner Main .street and Park place, the site of 
the present Boston store. In 1867 he formed a 
copartnenship with Charles E. Chickering, under 
the name of Chickering & Miller Express Co., 
which firm was dissolved in 1S85 by the retire- 
ment of Mr. Miller to permit him to devote his 
time and efforts to the Perry Oil Co., which he 
had purchased in 1879 and of which he was the 
active and responsible manager. He later organ- 
ized the Rhode Island Agricultural Chemical 
Co., for the manufacture of fertilizers. In 1890 
he admitted George T. Greenhalgh into the 
company, the latter becoming manager while 
Mr. Miller was the treasurer, and the business 
has since been carried on at 372 Central avenue. 

Mr. Miller was married Nov. 26, 1854, to 
Elizabeth Lawton, of Seekonk, Ma,ss. Three 
children are the fruit of the union, Henry H., 
b. Oct. I, 1855; George L., b. Dec. 15, 1857; 
and Renl)en K., Jr., b. Aug. i, 1871). Mr. 
Miller is an (_)dd Fellow, and an attendant of 
the Park Place Congregational c-hurch. In 
politics he is a Republican. 

MOIES, Charles Parmenter, first mayor of 
Central h'alls, was born in North Providence 
(now Pawtucket), March 24, 1845, son of 
Thomas and Susan W. (.Seymour) Moles. He 
is a grandson of John and .\nna (Robinson) 
Moies of Dorchester, Mass. On tlie maternal 
side his great-grandfather was Capt. Jolm 
George Curien, who came to this country Irom 



I'rance with I.,afayette, served in the revolu- 
tion, and married Olive Branch of Providence ; 
their daughter Cecilia married George Sexinour, 
and their daughter Susan married Thomas 
Moies and was the mother of Cliarles P. He 
received his early education in the ])ublic 
schools of Central F'alls, and attended Schol- 
field's Connnercial College, Providence, in 1864. 
In March, 1865, he went to Chicago, 111., and 
entered the freight office of the Chicago. Bur- 
lington and Quincy Railroad, remaining there 
until September, 1866, when he returned to his 
liome in Central Falls, and entered the Paw- 
tucket Institution for Savings as clerk and 
assistant to his father, who filled the office of 
treasurer. ITpon the death of his father, in 
November, 1886, Charles P. w^as elected treas- 
urer, wdiich office he still holds. In May, 1885, 
he was elected treasurer of the Pawtucket Mu- 
tual Fire Insurance Co. and still holds that 
office. In January, 1881, he was elected treas- 
urer of the Central Falls Fire District, succeed- 
ing his uncle, Charles Moies, who had held the 
office 26 }-ears, and continued in that capacity 
until March, 1895, when the district was abol- 
ished by the organization of the city of Central 
Falls. He also succeeded his father, upon the 
latter's death in 1886, as treasurer of union 
school di.stricts, one and two, of Central Falls, 
and served until May, 1892, when the di.strict 
school system was abolished by the adoption of 
the town system by the town of Lincoln. He 
was also elected treasurer of the town of Lincoln 
upon the death of his father (the former treas- 
urer), and continued in that office until the 
town was made a city, March 18, 1895, when 
he was elected the first mayor of Central F'alls, 
and held the office until Jan. 6, 1896. In poli- 
tics he is a Republican, and represented the 
town of Lincoln in 1885 in the lower branch of 
the General Assembly. Mr. Moies left school 
at the age of 17, in .Se])tember, 1862, to enter the 
arm\', and serxcd during his term of inlistment 
nine months in Co. I!, iitli Re.niment Rhodi- 
Island \'olunteers. He is a memlier of liallon 
Post, G. .\ . R.. and served two \ears as its 
commander. He is also a memlier of tlu- ( )il<l 
Fellows, the Knights of P\thias, Knights ot 




RESIDENCE OF SAMUEL M. COMANT, CLAY STREET, CENTRAL FALLS 




RESIDENCE OF ALANSON P. WOOD CENTRAL STREET, CENTRAL FALLS. 



394 



I 1J,1'STR ATlCn HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT. 



Honor, \'eteran Firemen's Association and the 
Pawtucket Business Men's Association. He w as 
married. IX-c. 19. iSjG.to I'lorence Damon W'cth- 
ereir, the.\- have one son. Charles P. Moies, Jr. 
nONCRIEF, James Alexander, the fourth 
chihl (il Robert and Mary (Shivers) Moncrief, 
was horn in Lihcrtytown, I'redcrick Cfiunty, 
Md., h'eh. JS, iSvS. He atten.lLMl the pul)lic 
schools in his native town until his ijlh \ear, 
when he was apprenticed to the machinist trade 
at tlie R. vS: O. machine shops, Haltimore, and 
later went with Murray i\: Hazlehart, steamboat 
builders. He then went to the vSprinj;- (harden 
Steam Engine works in Philadelphia and in 
i860 he went with the Corliss Kni^ine Co., 
Providence, where he remained until 1S66, 
when he went into the employ of the Dunnell 
Manufacturing Co., of Pawtucket, as chief 
engineer and master mechanic. Later he asso- 
ciated him.self with Robert M. W. Horton and 
James McLa\-, at Pawtucket, and built the 
steamboat " Pioneer," the first large boat utili- 
zed for excursion purposes on the Pawtucket 
river. The " Pioneer " is now u.sed as a trader 
running in P'lorida. He then built " Pioneer 
2," which runs from Pawtucket to the shore 
resorts on Narragansett I^>a\". He built in 1 .S44 
the "Peerless," now in commission in Xova 
Scotia: the "Pawtucket," in iScSs, which is 
used as a trader in Trinidad ; the " Planet," in 
1890, and the " Petrel " in 1892, one of the 
fastest boats in her class. In 1894-5 he reliuilt 
the " Planet," increasing her passenger capacity 
to 700 and changing her name to "Pawnee." 
The steamboat business was incorporated in 
1885 under the name of the Pawtucket Steam- 
boat Co., of which Robert M. W. Horton i> 
president, James Mclyay vice-president, while 
Mr. Moncrief is treasurer and manager. Mr. 
Moncrief now conducts a general machine sho]) 
giving special attention to marine machinery. 
He is a Universalist and is a Knight of Pythias, 
a Knight of Honor, and a member of the < )(Id 
Fellows. Dec. 25, 1S68, he was married to 
Louisa J. Green of Nantucket, Mass., and from 
this union there are four children: Elizabeth, 
Jennie L-, James A., and Myrtie Belle. In poli- 
tics Mr. Moncrief is a Republican. 




WILLIAM P. MORONEY, 

nORONEY, William P., was born at Span- 
ish Point, Milltown, Malbay, County Clare, 
Ireland, in 1S37. At the age of 19 he came to 
this country and went to work at the shoe busi- 
ness in Middleboro, Mass. Soon after he moved 
to Sandwich, Mass., where in 1862 he opened a 
shoe store. In 1859 he married Catharine Hurley 
and has a faniil\' of fi\e daughters and one 
son, all born in .Sandwich, Mass. His s(ni is 
now a practicing physician in this cit\'. In 
1876 he moved to Pawtucket where he o])ened 
a retail boot and shoe store on blast a\enue. 
which business he continued until 1SS7. In 
that year he sold out the shoe business and 
engaged in the real estate and instirance busi- 
ness at 1 7 North Main street, his present location. 

Mr. Moroney has been closely identified 
with Pawtucket lioth as a town and as a cit\-. 
and in no small degree has contributed to its 
success. He has helil many oflices of trust, 
and was the last president of the town council 
of Pawtucket. He was assessor of taxes for 
nearly 12 years, when he resigned in order to 
give his .sole attention to his private business. 
He was sewer commissioner for nearly five 
years ])revious to the organization of the board 
of public works. He was one of the organizers 



396 



I 1,1. r ST RAT I'. I) HISTORY ( ) !• I'.WV T T C K I'.T 



of the Pawtucket; board of fire insurance under- 
writers and became its first president. He was 
selected by the city of Pawtucket as referee in 
the Haniniond's pond nuisance case and bj' his 
independent action saved the city several thou- 
sands of dollars. He was a stockholder in and 
was one of the directors of the Post Publishins^ 
Co. when that paper was a Democratic or^au. 
He is the tenth child of Patrick ;ui<l Jane 
(Carey) Moronc\-. His ])arents were liorn in 
Ireland. His father conducteil one ol the 
largest shoe manufacturing establishments in 
County Clare. His mother was descended Irom 
a family of substantial Irish farmers. 

nORSE, Francis D., the third son of James 
and Elvila Morse, was born May 25, 1830, in 
Southbridge, Mass. He attended the public 
schools in his native place until he was 17 years 
of age, when he further pursued his studies in an 
academy at Monson. In 1S5S he reuio\-ed to 
Genoa Bluffs, Iowa, where he bought a farm, 
which he conducted for six years, and in addi- 
tion taught school during the winter months. 
In 1864 he returned east and in 1876 established 
the business of bookbinding and blankbook 
manufacturing with his son Walter F. as a 
partner, the firm name being F. D. Morse & 
Son. In 1878 the junior member died, and in 
1880 another son, I'rederic A., became a mem- 
ber of the tlrm. They ha\e by close application 
to business and strict integrity, no less than b)- 
thoroughness and skillful workmanship, con- 
ducted a successful business. March 7, 1855, 
Mr. Morse married Sarah F. Rawson of Provi- 
dence, by which union there were three children : 
Walter P'. (deceased), Frederic A., and Eliza- 
l)eth C. Mr. Morse is a deacon of the Park 
Place Congregational church, and a charter 
mendjer of the church societw In politics he is 
a Republican. 

MORSE, Frederic A., the second son of 
P'rancis 1). Morse, was born in (lenoa Bluffs, 
Iowa. He is a direct lineal descendant from 
I^dward Rawsuu, the honored first secretary of 
the Massachusetts Ba\' Colony. His parents 
came east in 1864 and located in Pawtucket. 
PVederic A. after completing a course of study 
in the Pawtucket high school, entered into 



jKirtnership with his father, the firm name 
being V . I). Murse iS: ,Scni. The firm does high 
grade 1)iuding of all sorts, and makes a s])eciall\- 
of blankbook manufacturing. 

Mr. Morse is endowed with considerable 
mechanical skill, and has given eviileuce of his 
ingenuity in this line in a recent invention of 
his, known as the "Morse Automatic I.iiiuiii- 
Level Indicator." This dex-ici- ap])licd to closed 
opa(|Ue N'essels tor holding licpiid^ will at all 
limes indicate the exact quantity of li(juid 
within. This is ingeniously accomplished b\ a 
condjinalion of characters and figures of cai)acity 
with segments of colors on a movable circular 
index, revolving in close proximity to a trans- 
parent eye-piece mounted in the top of the con- 
taining vessel. This in\-entiou has been highly 
indorsed b\' the leading oil lamp and stove 
manufacturers. They pronounce the invention 
to be one of great utilit}- and value. Mr. Morse 
holds several patents on his invention in the 
United States and Canada, and has also received 
letters patent from six of the leading European 
governments. 

Mr. Morse is a Republican and a member 
of the Garfield Club. He is also a member of 
the Rhode Island Congregational Club. He is 
a member of the Pawtucket Congregational 
church and superintendent of its Sabbath school. 

MURPHY, Daniel, was born in Surrey, Me., 
Sept. 1849, and was the sixth child of John and 
Mary (Haley) Murjdiy. His imrents were 
natives of Ireland, and his father came to this 
country in 1839. Daniel received his education 
at St. Mary's parochical school, Pawtucket. 
He then learned the trade of a currier and fol- 
lowed this occupation for 17 years. From 1S75 
to 1877 he was a member of the Pawtucket 
police force. Aug. 2, 1882, in company with 
Henry J. E\nd he formed tlie firm of I.ynd iS: 
Murphy, and opened a store in the Bagle\ block 
for the sale of boots and shoes, hats and caps, 
and gentlemen's furnishings. The business has 
been continued until the present under the same 
name and has been nnifornil\- pros])erous. 
April 30, 1885, the store was removed to the Le- 
Favour block. It was enlarged at that location, 
April 12, 1888. July 8, 1 891, it was removed to 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



397 



the Sheldon building, No. 3 Broad street, and 
there was greatly enlarged Jan. i, 1896. The firm 
has alwa^-s carried on a first-class business, and 
enjoyed a well deser\-ed repute among customers. 

Mr. Murphy served during the civil war in 
the 2d Rhode Island Regiment of Infantry. He 
is now a member of Tower Post, G. A. R. In 
religion he is a Catholic and is a member of St. 
Mary's church and of the Young Men's Asso- 
ciation. In 1S80 he was married to Mary 
Elizabeth Lynd, sister of his present partner, 
and they have nine children : Margaret Collett, 
Daniel Titus, Henrj- Lewis, Mary Celestine, 
Agnes Frances, George, Joseph Guild, John, 
and Genevieve. 

HURRAY, Patrick Joseph, was born at 
Weston, Lewis County, W. Va., March t6, 
1856. In 1867 his parents settled in Olneyville, 
R. I., and at 11 years of age Patrick began life 
as a " back boy " in a cotton mill at Olne^-ville, 
and in course of time became second hand 
in the weaving department. In 1872 he pur- 
chased a life scholarship in the Bryant & Stratton 
Business College, night sessions, at Providence, 
and graduated in 1876. He then entered the 
employ of Kennedj' & Gough, grocers, and 
emigration agents at Olneyville as bookkeeper 
and confidential clerk, which position he occu- 
pied until 1890, when he was admitted to part- 
nership and the firm name was changed to 
Kenned)', Gough & Murray. The firm opened 
a branch store at 357-359 Main street, Pawtucket, 
placing it under the management of the junior 
partner. He was a member of the school com- 
mittee, Providence, from 1887 to 1890. He is a 
member of Narragansett Lodge, No. 4, United 
Workmen, of Olnej'ville ; the Catholic Knights 
of America ; the Knights of Columbus, being 
grand knight of Delaney Council, Pawtucket; is 
vice-president of St. Mary's Young Men's Catho- 
lic Association, and a member of the Ancient 
Order of Hibernians. Sept. 21, 1880, he was 
married to Maggie J. Kelly of Mason \'il- 
lage, N. H. 

NEWELL, Frank A., son of William 
Newell, was born at the family homestead on 
High street. Central Falls, town of Smithfield, 
in 1850. After attending the public schools he 



took a course at the Bryant & Stratton Business 
College, Providence. At the age of 19 he entered 
the office of the Pawtucket Gas Co., of which 
his father was then president, which position he 
held for nearly ten years. As a youth he gave 
evidence of qualifications superior to his posi- 
tion and during the same time held various 
public offices, including collector of taxes for the 
town of Lincoln, for the .school district of Cen- 
tral Falls, and other minor offices. In 1882 he 
engaged with the Pullman Palace Car Co., 
as conductor between Boston and various 
points in New England, which position he held 
for a number of years. He was then appointed 
agent and manager of excursion trains for the 
same company. While occupying this last posi- 
tion he traveled all over the United States and 
as a result he is familiar with the topography 
and recognized as one of the be.st equipped rail- 
road geographers in the Ihiited States. Absence 
of book education, such as is comprehended by 
a course in the university, he has overcome by 
constant and persistent readings, intelligently 
directed, united with keen obsen-ation and 
practical application ; and being endowed with 
superior mental attainments he is cultivated 
and cultured, and instructive as well as enter- 
taining in speech. 

Having retired from active business he 
finds emploj-nient in managing his properties. 
Without political ambition he finds time to 
gratify his ta.ste for books, and his reading is as 
varied and accurate and practical as has been 
his business education. For several years he 
was in active service as a volunteer fireman and 
.still retains his membership in the Veteran 
F'iremen's Association. 

He is a member of the Lincoln Republican 
Association of Central Falls. In 1S80 he was 
married to Anna E., daughter of David and 
Eliza (Taylor) Matteson, and resides on Cottage 
street, Pawtucket. 

NEWELL, Fred Eugene, the fourth child 
of William and Emeline (Fuller) Newell, was 
bom in Smithfield, R. I., Dec. 21, 1S52. He 
attended the public schools of his native town, 
was also a pupil at the East Greenwich Semi- 
nary, and completed his education in the Bryant 



398 



I L L i: S T R iV T IC 1) HIS T C) R V O F PA W TUCK IC T. 




FRED E. NEWELL, 



& Stratton Business College, Providence, R.I. 
He then worked for his father until earl\- in 
1879, when he went to Leadville, Col., where 
he remained about a year engaged in gold 
mining. On his return, late in 1879, he became 
a partner in the business, under the firm name of 
William Newell & Co. On the retirement nf 
his father in 1886, he became sole owner, and 
has since conducted the enterprise alone. He 
has greatly enlarged the plant, adding a machine 
shop and a general moulding and finishing 
department, and devotes special attention to 
the manufacture of gas fittings. 

Mr. Newell takes an active part in public 
affairs, and is at present a member of the school 
board and also of the Central Falls fire depart- 
ment. In fraternal affairs he belongs to and 
takes a prominent part in manj' societies. He 
is a member of the Central Falls Veteran Fire- 
men's Association ; was captain of the Uniform 
Rank, Knights of Pythias, for four years; is 
past chancellor O. IJ. A. M. ; and is a member 
of Blue Lodge, Chapter, Council, Commandery 
and Shriner, A. F. and A. M. ; the Red Men: 
and the Ancient Ivssenic Order. Healsoser\-ed in 
the state militia, was four years in the Pawtucket 



Light (iuard, belonged one year to the Union 
(Uiards, and was six j-ears in the Ihiited Train 
of Artillery, of Providence, in which he becanK- 
sergeant. While in school he was a nic-uiber of 
the Ka.st Greenwich vSeminary Guards. He lias 
taken a conspicuous part in the Order of United 
American Mechanics, as he is thoroughly Amer- 
ican and patriotic in sentiment. He was elected 
chief marshal of the order, and has managed 
the parades in the stale with great success. 
He was colonel of the Central Falls Blaine and 
Logan Guards in 1888 ; and was al.so colonel of 
the Harrison and Morton Guards, Central Falls, 
in 1892, when he had command of seven com- 
panies with a total of 353 men. 

Xo\-. 1880 he was married to Gertrude II. 
Hibbard of Windham, Conn., by which union 
there were -eight children: lidith Ma> , George 
W. (deceased), Harry (deceased), Frank O. 
(deceased), Charles Eugene, Grace Easter, 
Ruth and Lena. Mr. Newell isof the eighth gen- 
eration of his family in America. His grandfather, 
Nathaniel Newell, was a substantial farmer in 
Cumberland, R. I., and lived to the age of 89 
years and 6 months. His grandmother lived 
to be over 86 years. His father, William 
Newell, was a prominent brass founder and 
established fifty years ago the business Fred E. 
now conducts. 

NEWELL, Qeorge Edwin, for many years 
one of the leading business men of Pawtucket, 
was born Sept. 19, 1830, in Cumberland, R. I., 
and died in Pawtucket, May 13, 1896. He was 
a son of John and Polly (Grant) Newell, and was 
a descendant, in the seventh generation, of 
Abraham Newell, who was born in Ipswich, 
Eng., in 1581, and came to Roxbury, Mass., in 
1634, dying there in 1672, at the ripe age of 91 
years. Until he was 16 years of age Mr. Newell 
alternately attended school and worked on his 
father's farm. vSubsequenth' he attended the 
East Greenwich vSeminary. By teaching school 
at Dianion<l 1 1 ill Plain one winter lie earned 
sufficient money to enable him to atteiul the 
Smithville Seminary at North Scituate (after- 
wards the Lapham Institute), where under the 
tutelage of Prof. Quiinb\-, he rapidly advanced 
in the paths of education. In the winter of 



BIOGRAPIIIKvS. 



399 



1848-9, when in his 19th year he taught school 
at Cumberland Hill, and the following spring 
and sunnner worked for his father. With the 
means thus obtained he next attended the 
Merrimack Normal Institute at Reed's Ferry, 
N. H., and in the winter of 1 850-1 he again 
taught school in Cumberland, where his repu- 
tation as an instructor was excellent. He next 
took a special course at Brown Universitj' in 
mathematics, chemistr}' and didactics and after- 
wards taught school successfully in Franklin, 
Mass., and Central Falls. 

In 1857 he came to Pawtucket and went 
into business with his cousin. Smith Grant, who 
kept a grocery and grain .store in the Tyler 
building on Main street, next to the J. I?. Read 
block. They purchased the wharf property on 
the west bank of the river, now covered by the 
Newell Coal iS: Lumber Co.'s plant. vSmith 
Grant 6c Co. subsequently disposed of their 
grocer}' to John \V. Tingley and enlarged their 
coal and lumber business to a considerable 
degree. Mr. Grant died in July, 1885, and Mr. 
Newell purchased his interest from the widow. 
In 1890 the Newell Coal & Lumber Company 
was incorporated, and Mr. Newell was its presi- 
dent until his death. May 16, 1894, a confla- 
gration reduced the entire property to a.shes, 
but inside of a few months new buildings and 
elevators were erected. 

Mr. Newell was closely identified with Paw- 
tucket for nearly 40 years. For 36 years he was 
a director of the Slater National Bank. He 
was one of the original members of the Paw- 
tucket Business Men's Association. In politics he 
was a Republican. He represented the old town 
of North Providence in the General A.s.sembly, on 
the town council and on the .school committee. 
He was the prime mover and constant champion 
of the improvement of the Pawtucket river, and 
was one of the commission that built the new 
Wa.shington drawbridge at its mouth at India 
Point. He was a consistent and devoted mem- 
ber of the First Bapti.st church and of the Y. 
M. C. A. He was also one of the promoters of 
the Woodlawn Baptist Sunday school, the seed 
from which sprang the present flourishing 
Woodlawn Baptist church. During the last 



dozen years of his life Mr. Newell and his 
wife went on .several extended pleasure trips, 
\isiting Mexico, the Pacific coast, Alaska, and 
the regions of the great Northwest. 

Aug. 3, 1857, Mr. Newell was married to 
I'.rmina A. Pinkham of Stan.stead, Province of 
yuebec, Canada, and she has been a helpmate 
in the fulle.st sense of the word, her beloved 
husband's con.stant and devoted companion 
unto the end. Six children survive their father. 
They are Lillian (Mrs. B. D.. Brown of New 
York), Carrie (Mrs. George E. Nicholas), 
Ada, Ivdwin L., Lucius H., and Arthur. 

NEWELL, Oscar A., was born in Central 
Falls, R. I., May i, 1845, and is the oldest son 
of William and Emeline (Fuller) Newell. He 
attended tlie public schools of his native town, 
and completed his education at the Br\-ant & 
.Stratton Business College, Providence, from 
which he was graduated in 1865. In 1866 he 
entered his father's foundry as a partner and 
assistant in the management of the business and 
remained there until 1879, when, his health 
failing, he engaged in the manufacturing jewelrj- 
business with Daggett & Coombs of Providence. 
He purchased Mr. Coombs' interest a year later, 
when the firm became Daggett & Xewell, but 
he retired from this firm in 1882. He afterwards 
connnenced the manufacture of ho.siery at Cen- 
tral Falls. In 1891 the business was incorpor- 
ated under the name of the Rhode Island Hosiery 
Company, the factory- being located in Central 
F'alls. Mr. Newell was elected treasurer and 
general manager, and still holds those positions. 
Mr. Newell is a Republican, has taken a very- 
active part in public matters and has been re- 
peatedly elected by the people to represent them 
in various capacities. He represented Lincoln 
in the lower branch of the state legislature for 
four years in succession, and was chairman of a 
special committee appointed by the legislature 
to investigate the fisheries of the state. During 
the last year of Mr. Newell's service there were 
only four Republicans in the house and he was 
the only one who secured the chairman.ship of 
a joint connnittee of the house and senate, — on 
accounts and claims. He was acting chairman 
of the connnittee on education the .same vear. 



40O 



ILLUvSTRATF.I) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKIvT. 



He was a member of the board of fnx- wards in 
Central F'alls for six years, and si.r\fd lliree 
years on the school committee. 

Mr. Newell's mother was bom in 1'awlucki.l 
and descends from the Fuller family, many of 
whom were distinguished in public affairs for 
generations. Her grandfather was a soldier in 
the revolutionary war. 

Sept. 26, 1868, Mr. Newell was married to 
vSarah A. Hall of Providence, by which union 
there are two children : Kdwin H., b. Jan., 1872 ; 
and William G., b. Jan., 1878. His wife died in 
Sept., 1885, and in April, 1S89, he was married 
to Ella V. Hazard of Central Falls. 

NEWELL, William, is descended in the 
seventh generation from Abraham Newell, who 
was born in Ipswich, England, in 1581, and 
arrived at Roxbury, Ma.ss., in 1634, where he 
died in 1672 at the ripe age of 91 years. Among 
his descendants are some of the most eloquent and 
talented men that New England has produced. 

William Newell, the second child of Na- 
thaniel and Ruth (Howard) Newell, was born 
in Cumberland, R. I., June 12, 1820, and died 
in Central Falls, April 13, 1896. He attended 
the public schools of his native town and com- 
pleted his education at the academy in Attle- 
boro, Mass. For three years he alternately 
worked on his father's farm, and taught school, 
devoting the winter months to the latter and 
returning to the farm in the summer. Desiring 
to establish himself as a manufacturer he erected, 
in 1845, a small building on his father's farm, 
Cumberland, and here, with an assistant, com- 
menced brass moulding. The industry proved 
successful and two years later he removed to 
vSmithfield, now Central Falls, and built a 
foundry which he conducted alone until 1866, 
when he admitted his son Oscar into partner- 
ship. In 1S79 Oscar was succeeded by his 
brother Fred, who in turn succeeded to the 
business upon the retirement of his father in 
1886. From 1886 to the time of his death, Mr. 
Newell retired from active business pursuits and 
devoted his attention to the management and 
care of his real estate. 

Mr. Newell was active in politics and early 
in his career espoused the cause of the anti- 



sla\-ery part)-. He was elected a delegate to 
the National Convention of tlie Free vSoil party 
which noniinaU-d Jolin P. Hale, and was one of 
the li\e men in Central h'alls to t-asl a vole for 
that candiihUe. In 1S56 he joined the Repub- 
lican party, with which he was ever after identi- 
fied. In 1S58 he was elected to the C.eneral 
Assembly from Smithfield, and was continu- 
ously sent as a representative until iS^;,. He 
was again elected to the Oeneral .\ssenibl\-, 
from Lincoln in 1S77. Ik- was one of the 
earliest to join the XOIuiiteer Pacific ICngine 
Com])any and was its foreman. In 1852 he was 
elected a director of the People's Bank now the 
First National, which position he held until he 
resigned in 1895. For a number of years he 
was president of the Pawtucket Gas Co. 

July 21, 1844, he was married to I{meline 
Fuller of North Attleboro, by which union 
there are five children : Oscar A., b. May i, 
1845; Charles, b. Oct. 23, 1847, (deceased); 
Frank A., b. Oct. 7, 1850; P'red E., b. 
Dec. 21, 1852; George H., b. Feb. 27, 1855, 
(deceased). 

NICHOLSON, James E., superintendent of 
the Nicholson P'ile Co., American Works, Cen- 
tral Falls, R. I., the fourth child of William 
and Elizabeth (Foristell) Nicholson, was born 
in 1842, at Whitinsville, Mass., where he 
attended the public schools. When fifteen 
years of age, he began to learn the machinist 
trade with his brother, William T. Nicholson, 
who was then a member of the firm of Nicholson 
& Brownell, Providence ; but later William T. 
Nicholson bought out Mr. Brownell's interest 
and conducted the business alone under the 
name of W. T. Nicholson, machine builder. 
James E. proved an adept at his trade. Three 
years after his brother's firm was incorporated 
as the NichoLson File Co., Providence, he was 
appointed foreman of the cutting department, 
which position he held for eighteen years. He 
then became superintendent of the works and 
continued as such until Feb., 1896, when he 
was appointed manager of the Pawtucket 
branch, the American Works, (the Nicholson 
File Co. having bought out the new .\merican 
F'ile Co.), which has a capacity of 1200 to 1500 




DANIEL MURPHY, 

PHY, GENTS' FURNISHINGS, 





i 




WILLIAM NEWELL, 



. BRASS FOUNDRY. 



OSCAR A, NEWELL, 
TREASURER RHODE ISLAND HOSIE 





JAMES E. NICHOLSON, 

UPERINTENDENT NICHOLSON FILE CO., 'AMERICAN WORKS.' 



EDWARD O'BRIEN, 

ASTER MECHANIC DUNNELL MANUFACTURING CO. 



402 



ILLUSTRATlvD II IS TORY OF PAWTUCKKT. 



dozen files per day and employs from 200 to 300 
hands. Mr. Nicholson was a very efficient and 
skillfnl assistant to his brother, William T. 
Nicholson, as an administrator in the great 
works which now bear the former's name. 

In 1862 Mr. Nicholson enlisted for three 
nuniths in Company B, loth Rhode Island Regi- 
nicnt. which was stationed at Tenalleytown, 
Maryland, as part of the force to deft-nd Wash- 
ington, D. C. He is a member ol the Central 
Baptist church. Providence. In ijolitics he is a 
Republican. In 1S71 he was married to Mi.ss 
Phebe C. Burton of Providence, by which union 
there are two children : Alice B. and Bertha E. 

NICKERSON, Ansel D., was born in Sand- 
wich, Mass., Dec. 25, 1833, and died Nov. 5, 
lS^/1, in Pawtucket. He was a son of Elias and 
Lucy (Jerauld) Nicker.son. His ancestors on 
the paternal side were of English origin, and 
French on the maternal side. William Nicker- 
son came from England to this country at a 
verj' early date, and was the first of that name 
to land in America. He had four sons, from 
whom sprang the various branches of Nicker- 
sons throughout the United States. The father 
of Ansel D. was for several j'ears sheriff of 
Providence county, R. I. ; he died in 1S94. 
The mother of Mr. Nickerson died in i860. 

When Mr. Nickerson was very j-oung his 
parents left their home in Massachusetts and 
came to Rhode Island. At first they located in 
Pawtucket, but subsequently removed to Cen- 
tral Falls, where at the age of six years, he 
found employment in a cotton mill. Here he 
remained three j-ears, when he obtained a 
situation in a printing office at Pawtucket 
which was conducted by Elder Ray Potter. In 
1S46 his father apprenticed him to Robert vSher- 
maii, who was then publisher of the (iazette 
and Chronicle. The contract called for three 
months' schooling each year at some public 
school. This com])rised all the .school advan- 
tages that he ever had that are worth mention- 
ing. His teacher was John H. Willard, principal 
of the Church Hill grannnar school, who in his 
day had no superior hereabouts as an instructor. 

Mr. Nickerson's apprenticeship to Mr. Sher- 
man (lid not expire until Dec. 25, 1854, when 



he was 21 years old. Ten years later he became 
a partner with Mr. vSherman, and in 1870 he 
and John S. Siblej' bought the Chronicle e.stab- 
lishnicnt. .Mr. Nickerson was a publisher of the 
paper for 14 years, when he di.sposed of his inter- 
est in the business, in 1878, to Charles A. Eee. 
For more than thirty years Mr. Nickerson was 
coiniected with the Chronicle establishment as 
a])])rentice, journeyman and proprietor. 

After retiring from the Chronicle, Mr. 
Nickerson traveled extensively in Europe. 
Upon his return he became managing editor 
of the Providence Evening Press and Morning 
Star, and subsequently general manager of the 
extensive book and job printing establishment 
of the Providence Press Co. 

When the war of the rebellion 1irokei)Ut, 
Mr. Nicker.son enlisted in the iitli Rhode 
Island Regiment and remained in the field until 
its term of service expired. He joined the 
Grand Army of the Republic in 1867, and until 
his death was a member of Tower Po.st, No. 17. 
He was also a member of Jenks Lodge, A. F. 
and A. M., Central Falls: Holy vSepulchre 
Commandery, Pawtucket: (iood Samaritan 
Lodge and Manchester Encampment of Odd 
Fellows, Pawtucket ; and the Pawtucket Busi- 
ness Men's Association. He was the first presi- 
dent of the Pawtucket Young Men's Christian 
Association, and was president of the Free Pub- 
lic Library from the death of the Hon. W. F. 
Sayles, and was a trustee of that institution for 
more than a quarter of a century. 

In politics Mr. Nickerson was a Republican. 
He held numerous public positions. He was a 
member of the school committees of the towns 
of Smithfield (now Lincoln) and North Provi- 
dence, and later of the consolidated town and 
village of Pawtucket. He was also a member 
of the General Assembly from North Provi- 
dence, and in 1873-4 he was a member of the 
town council of that town. When Pawtucket 
becauie a city he was cho.sen the first alderman 
from the third ward. He held the position three 
years, two of which he was president of the 
board, and lor four months was acting mayor. 

He was a special agent of the ITnited States 
Department of Labor, having been appointed 



BIOGRAPHI KS. 



403 



in 1892. Mr. Nickerson has always been deeply 
interested in Sunday school work. For nearly 
twenty years he was superintendent of the First 
Baptist Sunday school, which position he 
resigned in i8go. For several years he was 
superintendent of the Memorial Chapel Sunday 
school at Saylesville. 

March 30, 1854, Mr. Nicker.son was married 
to Miss Sarah J. Eldredge of Pawtucket, daugh- 
ter of Richard and Sally (Bassett) Eldredge. 

NICKERSON, James Patterson, was born 
in Pawtucket, Oct. 8, 1845, and was the A'oung- 
est child of a famil)' ot eleven children. He 
attended the public schools of Pawtucket until 
he was 17 j-ears old. For seven j'ears thereafter 
he conducted a farm. He then became a con- 
stable. In 1876 he was appointed on the police 
force and was promoted to be a sergeant in 1889. 
On the death of Chief of Police Oliver H. Perry, 
Aug. 2, 1896, Mr. Nickerson was appointed a 
captain, which position he now holds. In poli- 
tics Capt. Nicker.son is a Republican. He is an 
attendant of the Free Will Baptist church. He 
belongs to Charles E. Chickering Lodge, K. of 
P., is an a.ssociate member of Tower Post G. A. 
R., a member of the Pawtucket Veteran Fire- 
men's Association, and of the Knights and 
Ladies of Honor. In 1S67 he was married, at 
South Attleboro, to Mary K. Tingley, daughter 
of Lucian Tingley of Pawtucket, a well known 
contractor and builder. Their children are : 
James Edgar, b. March 24, 1868, and now clerk 
in the First National Bank; Albert Henry, b. 
Dec. 25, 1870, now manager Pawtucket Sash & 
Blind Co., Arthur Ames, died in infancy; 
Howard Ames, b. May 3, 1878; Suisan Maud, b. 
March 24, 1SS5. 

O'BRIEN, Edward, third child of Nicholas 
and Bridget O'Brien, was born at Pawtucket in 
1847. He attended the public schools, including 
the high school, until he was 17 years old, when 
he began to learn the carpenter trade with 
Andrew Slade, and also learned to be a mill- 
wright with Lewin & Kenyon. He then worked 
for Fales & Jenks two years and later took 
charge of the mechanical department, including 
the machine- and wood working shops for the 
Duiuiell Manufacturing Co., which position he 



now occupies. In politics he is a Democrat, 
and represented the second ward as alderman 
in 1S95, 1896 and 1897. He is a member of the 
Catholic Knights of America ; Knights of 
Pythias, No. i ; Red Men, No. i ; A. O. U. 
W. ; Sarsfield Association ; A. O. H., No. 8, of 
Pawtucket ; and Petaconset Tribe, Red Men, 
of Central P'alls. He attends .St. Joseph's Cath- 
olic church. In 1876 he was married to Mary 
Quinn, and three children were the fruit of this 
union : Edward Nicholas, b. Sept. 1884 ; Thomas 
Aloysius, b. 1885, and John, b. 1887. His wife 
died in 1SS7. 

O'CONNOR, John F., fourth child of Jere- 
miah and Mary (Bowler) O'Connor, was born 
Oct. 15, 1849, at Woon.socket, R.I., and obtained 
his education in the public schools of Providence 
and Pawtucket. When 17 years old he learned 
the trade of a stone cutter with John French, 
and in 1875, in connection with his brother, 
established the monumental marble and granite 
works on Mineral Spring avenue, Pawtucket. 
Later he severed business connections with his 
brother and established and operated works at 7 
Exchange place. In 1888 he joined with John 
Weatherhead, under the firm name of O'Connor 
& Weatherhead, and located at 4 Waldo street, 
where the firm operates an extensive marble and 
granite plant and is doing a prosperous business. 
In politics Mr. O'Connor is an independent. 
He is an active member of the Young Men's 
Catholic Association ami the Catholic Knights 
of America. Oct. 15. 1875, he was married to 
Elizabeth Maloney of Pawtucket and by this 
union there are eight children: Charles A., b. 
June 14, 1877; John, b. July 17, 1879; Thomas, 
M. J., b. March 25, 1882 ; Mary, b. June 3, 1884; 
William, b. April 22, 1887; Joseph, b. June 13, 
1889; Madaline, b. Sept. 10, 1S91 ; Agnes 
Louisa, b. July 4, 1S94. 

OLNEY, George Bailey, was born at Lime 
Rock. Smithfield, R. I.. March 20, 1854. Ik- 
received his education in the public schools of 
Smithfield and Providence, and .started in life 
as a bookkeeper for the Dexter Lime Rock Co. 
He then engaged in a similiar capacity with the 
A. & C. W. Holbrook Belting Co., of Provi- 
dence. In 1874, in companx- with his father. 



404 



1I.LUSTRATKD HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT. 



he started in the coal business in Providence 
under the name of Joseph Ohiey & Son, and 
still retains his interest in that firm. In 1886 
he commenced the same business in I'aw tucket 
under the name of (i. B. 01ne\ & Co., but 
shortly after J. Milton Payne and B>ron C. 
Payne became partners and the name of the 
firm was changed to Olney & Payne Hros. 
The yards and coal pockets of the firm arc 
located on the Conant Thread Co.'s wharf, 
while the business office is at 20 East a\enne. 

Mr. Olney is a Republican in politics. In 
religion he is a Unitarian, is a member of the 
Unitarian Club of Providence, and belongs to 
the Y. M. C. A., of Pawtucket. He is also an 
Odd Fellow and a I'ree Mason. April 10, 1879, 
he was married to Ella M. Payne, and they 
have two children, Joseph, b. Sept. 19, 1888, 
and Florence P., b. Feb. 21, iSSi. 

Joseph Olney, the father of Oeorge B., was 
born in Smithfield, Aug. 21, 1813, and is a 
direct descendant in the eighth generation from 
Thomas Olney, one of the original settlers of 
Providence. The original " home lot " of 
Thomas Olney is still in possession of the 
family. 

CHALLEY, Patrick, son of William and 
Margaret (Pendergast) O'Malley, was born in 
County Mayo, Ireland, March 14, 1843. He 
attended school in his native place. In his 
youth his parents removed to Eancashire, Eng- 
land, where he completed his education. While 
in Ireland he worked on a farm and cared for 
the shee]i. When 15 years old he went to work 
in a cotton mill and later learned the trade of a 
mason. June, 1869, he came to America, and 
Incatetl in Providence, when he worked at his 
trade. Later he worked on the Conant thread 
mills, Pawtucket, and afterwards worked in 
Lonsdale. He also worked at his trade in New 
Bedford and Boston. In 1876 he opened a 
grocery store in his own building, 534 Dexter 
.street, Central F'alls. His business prospered, 
and, his real estate investments proving profit- 
able, he retired from active business and 
devotes his time and attention to the manage- 
ment and care of his properties. Mr. O'Malley 
was chief marshal of St. Patrick's day parade 




PATRICK O'MALLEY, 

in 1885. In politics he is a Democrat. June 8, 
1876, he was married to Sabina Leonard of New 
Bedford. They have adopted two children. 

O'NEILL, Daniel, was born in County 
Waterford, Ireland, in 1832. He went to school 




DANIEL O'NEILL, 
RETIRED UNDERTAKER. 



BIOGRAPHIIiS. 



405 



until lie was 17 years old, and came to America 
about 1S50. He li\e(l se\eral years in Taunton, 
Mass., where he was emploj-ed in the highway 
department and was steadily advanced until he 
became assi.stant highway commissioner, which 
position he held for five years. He came to 
Pawtucket in June, 1867, and purchased the 
undertaking business of Patrick Quinn, then 
located at the old .St. Mary's church. His busi- 
ness prospered and in 1891 he disposed of it to his 
sons William H. anti Daniel F. in order to 
devote his lull lime to the real estate business 
in which he is now engaged. He is a member 
of vSt. Mary's Catholic church. April 6, i860, 
he was married to Ellen McKenna, and by this 
union there are three children: William H., 
Daniel F., and Joseph B. His finst wife died, 
and in i8go he was married to Catherine Camp- 
bell of Pawtucket. Mr. O'Neill's father owned 
and operated successfully a farm in Waterford, 
Ireland. For manj- generations his ancestors 
tilled the same farm, and his brother .still resides 
on the old homestead. 

O'NEILL, William Henry, the second son 
of Daniel and Ellen (McKenna) O'Neill, was 
born in Taunton, Mass., Aug. 23, 1863. His 
parents moved in 1S67 to Pawtucket, where he 
attended the parochial and public schools and 
completed his education at Holy Cross College, 
Worcester, Mass. After leaving college he 
went into the eini)loy of his father in the under- 
taking business. In iSgi he and his brother 
Daniel F. bought out their father's interest. 
In October, 1895, he purchased his brother's 
interest and has since continued the business 
alone as an undertaker and funeral director, at 
135 Pine street. In politics Mr. O'Neill is a 
Democrat. He attends the St. Mary's Catholic 
church, is a ineniber of the Knights of Colum- 
bus, the A. (), H., the A. (). F. and the I. (). 
R. M. Sept. 27, 1894, he was married to Susan 
J. McSoley. 

ORSWELL, Gardner, was born in Ma.ssachu- 
.setts but lived a great part of his life in Rhode 
Island. He was popularlx- known as Captain 
Orswell, having been captain ol the I'irst Light 
Infantry, of Providence, in the earl\ t|uarter of 
the century. One of his sons, Warren M. 



Orswell, born at Graystone, R. I., in 1828, 
engaged in the manufacturing business and was 
successful. Early in life he married Eliza Ayer, 
who came of an old \'ermont family. 

ORSWELL, Edmund W., the first child of 
Warren M. and ICliza (Ayer) Orswell, was born 
at \'alley Falls, Dec. 11, 1.849, and attended 
the public schools at X'alley Falls and the hi.gh 
school at Lonsdale up to his 17th year. After 
this he became the bookkeeper of the then 
manufacturing firm of N. P. Hicks & Co., and 
remained with this firm and its successors in 
that capacity up to the year 1883. In 1884 
the firm was incorporated as the Fl. Jenckes 
Manufacturing Co. and Mr. Orswell became 
its secretary. On Jan. i, 1885, FIdward G. 
Blodgett and Mr. Orswell formed a copartner- 
ship for the production of glazed yarn. For the 
succeeding two j-ears the business was so suc- 
cessful that it was decided to seek a charter 
from the state, and accordingly it was, in 1887, 
incorporated as the " Blodgett & Orswell Co.." 
with Mr. Blodgett as president and Mr. Orswell 
as treasurer. 

The Pawtucket Dyeing & Bleaching Co. 
was begun in 1889 with the same officers as the 
other company. Under the skillful manage- 
ment of its directors it has become a business of 
importance and value. Although the president, 
Mr. Blodgett, died in 1894, both branches of 
the business have since been continued with 
Mr. Orswell as manager. Mr. Orswell is a 
Republican in politics by conviction, but he has 
managed to keep out of active politics, feeling 
that such a mingling would entail sooner or 
later a sacrifice of his business. In business 
Mr. Orswell is energetic and has a mind on 
which he can .safely draw for new plans or 
methods whenever the emergency demands it. 

Being a mere stripling when the war broke 
out, Mr. Orswell has no war record. He is a 
])rized member of the Pawtucket Business Men's 
Association and of the I. O. O. F. In 1871 he 
was married to Miss Mary A. Smith of Albion, 
R. I. They have two children li\ing: Mary 
IClvira and William W. 

OTT, Joseph, ihinl child of Jacob and 
Genevieve (Ilodkr) Otl. was born March 11, 



4o6 



ILLUSTRATKD HISTORY OF PAWTrCKET. 



1861, at Trochtelfingeii. in 11k- district of 
Hoheii/ollern, Cierniaiiy. lIi- attciuUd sclmol 
in his native town until he was id years old, 
when he entered the school of Art and Science 
at Reutlinj;;en, Ciermany, from which he was 
graduated in 187S. He then entered a mill in 
Bavaria to obtain a practical knowledge of 
operating machinery and the details in the 
manufacturing of cloth. In 1880 he went to 
Augsburg as a designer, and later to Ash, in 
the silk district of Bohemia, where he remained 
until 1882 and acquired a knowledge of the 
manufacture of silk in all its details. He went 
next to Chemnitz, in Saxony, entering the 
employ of Ooeritz Brothers, one of the largest 
silk manufacturers in that country. 

To avoid military service he came to 
America in 1SS4 and connected himself with 
Coffin, Altemus .S: Co., of New York, as a de- 
signer. In 1885 Ir- went with the Fare Alpaca 
Co., Holyoke, Mass., as designer, and later 
with the layman Mill Co., of the same place, as 
superintendent, having charge of and success- 
fully operating 1000 looms. A }-ear later he 
came to the Slater Cotton Co., Pawtucket, and 
remained in its employ until 1S88 when, deciding 
to operate on his own account, he devoted a 
year to perfecting a loom for weaving silk, fine 
cotton and worsted, in which he succeeded, and 
began business with eight looms in the old 
Hicks building off East avenue. The enter- 
prise prospered and later he associated with him 
as partners Daniel G. Littlefield and Darius 
Gofi, and in May, i88g, the business was incor- 
porated under the name of the Royal Weaving 
Co., and the plant was removed to the factory 
of the American Hair Cloth Co., corner Mill 
and Cross streets. Central Falls, and later to the 
new factory across the street from the hair cloth 
mill. This new mill is an unique structure and 
was specially constructed for delicate weaving, 
the light all being obtained from the roof. Mr. 
Ott was chosen agent and general manager of 
the company and to his practical knowledge 
and executive ability the success of the enter- 
prise is largely due. In politics he is a Repub- 
lican. He is a 32d degree Mason, a member of 
the Mystic Shrine, and belongs to the Pawtucket 
Business Men's Association. 



Mr. Ott's ancestors were cloth manufac- 
turers and his father, at Steinhilben, Germany, 
became famous for his " military cloth," which 
is in use in the German army. His mother is 
the daughter of Hodler, a well-known cloth 
manufacturer at Achen in Westphalia. 

PATT, Frederick Augustus, was born in 
Pawtucket, Ajjril 10, 1S38. His father, l)a\i(l 
Patt, was born in Co\-entry, R. 1.. in 1797, and 
died in Pawtucket in 1842 : his mother was 
F'reelove Arnold, who died in 1874. The\- had 
twelve children, of whom Frederick A. was the 
youngest. He received his education in the 
Pawtucket public schools under the instruction 
of John Willard until he was 15 years old, when 
he went to work for Preston Everett, with whom 
he remained three years. He then went to 
Taunton, Mass., for a year, but on his return 
worked for Mr. Everett for two years. From 
1858 to 1861 he had charge of the painting at 
Lonsdale, for the mills there. In 1861 he went 
to Illinois and enlisted in the 7th Illinois, which 
was a three months regiment of infantr\-. He 
then enlisted in the ist Missouri Cavalr\ , in 
which he served three years. Two of his 
brothers also served during the war, and one 
was likewise in the .Mexican war. After the 
war Frederick A. went to California, but 
returned to Pawtucket in 1S70, and went into 
business as a house painter antl dealer in wall 
paper, and in 1S95 took into partnership Benja- 
min ¥. Davis, and the firm, under the name of 
Patt & Davis, now carries on a successful busi- 
ness at 68 North Main street. 

Mr. Patt was a member of the last council 
of the town of Pawtucket, and was superintend- 
ent of street lamps and a member of the city 
council in 1889. He is a member of Enterpri.se 
Lodge, I. O. O. F. ; F^ureka Lodge, K. of P. ; 
and was among the fir.st officers of both lodges. 
He also belongs to Tower Post, G. A. R. He 
was married in California, in 1869, to Helen 
Emma James, who died in 1890, without issue. 
In 1 89 1 he was married to Ann FHizabeth 
Gimniarhardt. by which iniimi tliere are two 
children: Harry A., b. h'eli, 16, 1893, and Dorus 
!•;., b. July 8, 1894. 

The gambrel-roofed house, bought by David 
Patt in the earlv vears of the centurw and so 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



407 



long the family homestead is still standing at 
59 Pleasant street, and is in the rear of the John 
Louden and P'rost houses on East avenue. 
When Pleasant street was widened many years 
ago the east side of the hov.se was cut off. The 
hou.se is now in a very dilapidated condition. 

PATT, Irving F., assistant superintendent 
Pawtucket Gas Co., is the son of Jeremiah O. 
and Mary Ann (Gooding) Patt. He was born 
Maj- 9, 1848, at Central Falls, where he attended 
the public schools until he was 16 years old. 
He then learned the trade of a carpenter. Eater, 
with his brother, he was admitted to partnership 
with his father under the firm name of Jeremiah 
O. Patt & Sons, contractors and builders. This 
firm built many fine residences and mills in 
Central Falls. In the early .seventies Mr. Patt's 
father retired from the firm, and later his bro- 
ther also retired, and In'ing carried on the busi- 
ness alone. In 1880 he went into the employ 
of the Pawtucket Gas Co. as assistant super- 
intendent, with full charge of the works, which 
position he now holds. 

In 1864 he joined the fire department of 
Central Falls. For many years he was hose 
director of the Pacific Engine Company until 
the organization of the permanent department in 
1877, \vhen he became first chief engineer and 
has since sen-ed in that capacity. The present 
efficiency of the Central Falls fire department is 
mainl\- due to his skill and ability. In politics 
he is a Republican. He attends the Central 
Falls Congregational church. He belongs to 
the Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, A. O. 
U. \V., the Ancient Essenic Order, Massachu- 
setts State Firemen's A.ssociation, Inter- Na- 
tional Association of Fire Chiefs of the United 
States and Canada, which he has served as 
vice president, representing the state of Rhode 
Island. He was married to Rose Anna Tem- 
pleton, of Pawtucket, by which union there are 
four children : Everett Irving, Herbert Francis, 
Clifton Temijleton, Eester Davenport. 

PAYNE, Charles, was born in Nun Eaton, 
Warwickshire, England, in 1819, came to Am- 
erica when a young man and settled at Paw- 
tucket. In companx with Jude Taylor he 
established, in 1849, the firm of Payne & Taylor, 



engravers for calico printers. The firm carried 
on this business for many years, until with the 
coming into use of the pantograph engraving 
machines, the engraving was done on the i)rem- 
ises of each printworks. Payne & Taylor, how- 
ever, branched out in their own factory, on East 
avenue, into the manufacture of hair cloth about 
1863, and the firm continued to carry on this 
industry here until 1893, when the business was 
consolidated with the Pawtucket Hair Cloth 
Co., under the name of the American Hair 
Cloth Co. Charles Payne died in 1869. He 
had a family of ten children, all but one of 
whom are now living and are active and promi- 
nent in the community: (ieorge W., b. June 
30, 1843; Charles B., b. March, 1845; James 
R., b. 1S47: Amy T., b. 1849, married Henry 
A. vSmitli, carpenter and contractor; William 
E., b. 1857, now a marketman; Aiuiie N., b. 
1853, married Frank Hodge, but is now a 
widow; Byron C, b. 1855, now of the firm of 
Olney & Payne Bros.; Ella M., b. 1S57, mar- 
ried George Olney of the firm of Olney &^ Payne 
Bros.; John Milton, b. 1857, and now also of 
the firm of Olney & Payne Bros. ; and Rachel 
K., b. 1863, who died in infancy. Charles B. 
and James R. succeeded to their father's interest 
in the firm of Paj'ue & Taylor, but since the 
formation of the American Hair Cloth Co., they 
have retired from active business. 

PAYNE, George Witheridge, the oldest 
son of Charles Payne, attended the public 
schools of Pawtucket until he was 13 years 
old. He then went to work in the engraving 
shop of Payne & Taylor, where he remained for 
about two j-ears. In 1861 he began a three 
years' apprenticeship at house carjjentering with 
Andrew R. Slade. Here he continued to work 
until 1865, when he formed a partnership under 
the name of Holmes & Payne and began the 
manufacture of cotton machinery. This firm 
continued for one year, when Mr. Holmes .sold 
out and the concern then became Payne & 
Mathewson, and was conducted under that title 
for 14 years, until the death of Thomas A. 
Mathewson, when it became Geo. W. Payne & 
Co., George M. Planning purchasing the interest 
of the late partner. The shop, in 1S65, was on 



4o8 



I L L U S T R A TI ■; D HIST ( ) R V O 1-^ PA W T U C K 1 •. T . 



the bank of the river on the west side between 
the upper and lower dams, where the mills of 
the Littlefield Manufacturing Co. now stand, 
and was a room 45 by 90 feet. After two \xars 
a larger shop was secured in a building which 
stood on a portion of the ground now occupied 
by the electric power station, and here Ihc 
industry was carried on for 14 years. I "or twn 
years thereafter rooms in the Payne iS; Taxlor 
factory on Hast avenue were occupied, and in 
February, 1883, the firm removed to the jMescnt 
quarters, 106 Broad street. 

The shops now occupy a floor space of 150 
by 50 feet and an ell 50 by 30 feet, and about 50 
men are employed. Cotton and woolen machin- 
ery are manufactured, and the specialties are 
spoolers and hosiery winders and quillers. 

Mr. Payne was married to Julia McQuestin 
in 1865. She died March, 1876. In 1S77 he 
was married to Sarah Frank Balkcom. By the 
first marriage there were four children : Lillian 
K., b. July 7, lived to be six years old : Charles, 
b. Aug., 1868; Carrie, b. April, 1870; James 
Manton, b. 1872. By the second marriage 
there were three children: Jude T., b. 1S78 ; 
Clinton F., b. 1882; Alice, b. 1SS8. 

PAYNE, J. Milton, was born in Pawtuckct, 
Sept. 22, 1859, and is the son of Charles and 
Ke/.iah (Bindley) Payne. He received his 
education in the Church Hill grammar school, 
Pawtucket ; at Mowry & Goff's English and 
Classical school. Classical Department, Provi- 
dence, class of 1878; and at Brown University, 
from which he was graduated in 1882. March 
I, 1884, in company with his brother Byron C. 
Payne and George B. Olney, he organized the 
firm of Olney & Payne Bros., which has become 
one of the largest concerns dealing in coal 
brick, lime and cement in Pawtucket. The 
house has a large coal pocket and dock on the 
wharf belonging tf) the Conant Thrcail Co. on 
the west side of the ri\L-r. 

Mr. Payne is a prominent Rej)ublican. He 
is vice-president and on the executive committee 
of the (iarfield Clul), and has been a delegate to 
many political con\-entions. He is a director of 
the Pacific National Bank and of the Pawtucket 
Mutual Fire Insurance Co., is a member of the 



Pawtucket Business Men's Association, and of 
the To Kalon Club. In religion he is a I^i)is- 
copalian. For years he has taken a very active 
jiart in secret and fraternal .societies. He 
joined Good Samaritan Lodge, No. 8, I. O. O. F., 
October, 1883, and was Grand Master of Rhode 
Island, I. O. O. F. in 1893. He is a member of 
Union Lodge, No. 10, .\. 1-". and A. M., Paw- 
tucket Royal Arch Chapter, Pawtucket Council 
Royal and Select Masters, Holy Sepulchre Com- 
nuuuk-ry. Knights Templars, Palestine Tenqile 
.\. A. (). N. M. S. He was married June 24, 
1S83, to Eva L. Spink, and the}- have one son. 
PECK, George Calvin, was born Nov. 19, 
1856, at Medway, Mass., and is the second child 
of Jerome B. and Mary Ann (Adams) Peck. 
He attended the public schools at Hyde Park 
until he was 14 years old, when he began to 
learn the art of photography, but poor health 
compelled him to abandon that profession. He 
then went to work in a jewelrj' store and learned 
the trade of a v^-atch repairer, which he followed 
for six years. In 1878 he came to Pawtucket 
and with a capital of $100 opened a "5 and 10 
cents store" on North Main street. The busi- 
ness prospered, and in 1892 he opened a depart- 
ment store in the Sheldon block on North Union 
street. In 1S94 he admitted Arthur O. Bourne 
to partnership, under the style of (leorge C. 
Peck & Co. 




GEORGE C. PECK, 

OF QEORGE C. PECK A CO. 



HIOGRAPHIES. 



409 



Mr. Peck is a member of the Park Place 
Congregational church and is a teacher in llie 
Sabbath school. He is a member of the 
Knights of Pythias, and tlu- Pawtucket Busi- 
ness Men's A.s.sociation. In politics he is a 
Republican. June, I.S82, he was married to 
Agnes M., daughter of Enoch Trafton, of Paw- 
tucket. 

PEIRCE, Clarence Eugene, was born in 
Providence, Nov. 30, 1863, and is the youngest 
child of I{dwin James and Nancy Carjjenter 
(Wheeler) Peirce. The name Peirce is borne 
b\- a number of families in America, is spelled 
in a \ariet\- of wa\ s, and is supposed to be 
derived from the old P^nglish family of Percy. 
Several immigrants of the name are known to 
have settled in America, and genealogies have 
been published of the descendants of Michael 
Pierce of Scituate, Mass.; John Pers of Water- 
town, Mass.; Thomas Pierce of Charlestown, 
Mass.; Richard Pearce of Portsmouth, R. I.: 
Abraham Peirce of F'reetown, Mass., and 
Robert Pierce of Dorchester, Mass. The de- 
scendants of all these immigrants cannot now 
be clearly traced and their relationship to each 
other is only partially known. 

The ancestors of Clarence E. were Thomas 
and Elizabeth Peirce who came to America in 
i633-4and settled at Charlestown, Mass., in 1635. 
Jabez Peirce, his great-grandfather, was a cord- 
waiuer (shoemaker), at Plainfield, Conn., but 
afterward came to Providence and was a mer- 
chant there. In the Providence Gazette and 
Country Journal of June 12, 1767, he had the 
following unique advertisement : 

" Jabez Peirce, west of the Great Bridge, op- 
posite Dr. Samuel Carew's in Providence, begs 
leave to inform the public that he has lately sup- 
plied his shop with a neat assortment of goods 
ju.st imported from London, via Boston, and as 
his goods came to hand much cheaper than any 
before, he makes no doubt if purchasers will 
give themselves the trouble to call at his shop, 
they will be satisfied without traveling through 
the sand hill to look further." 

Jabez Peirce spent the evening of his life at 
Dightou, Mass., where he died June 21, 17S2. 
He was a private in the companj- of Captain 



Henry 'Pews, Colonel John Hathaway's regi- 
ment, in 17X0, during the revolutionary war. 
His homestead in Providence was on the north 
side of Weybo.sset street, ju.st above Mathewson 
street. 

The following is the obituary of the wife of 
Jabez Peirce : Died at Dightou on the 3d inst., 
Mrs. Mary Peirce, relict of the late Mr. Jabez 
Peirce, formerly of this town, in the 73d year of 
her age ; after a long life of complicated afflic- 
tion, which she bore with Christian fortitude." 
— Rhode Island American, OcP. 8, 1813. 

The grandfather of Clarence E. was Thomas 
Peirce, a farmer in Dightou and Seekonk, and 
his father, who was born in Rehoboth, is a car- 
penter and pattern-maker. Clarence E. attended 
the public schools of Providence, and the Misses 
Hill's private school, until he was 16 years old. 
April 14, 1879, he went to work in the office of 
the American Screw Co., where he contiiuied 
until the latter part of Oct. 1889, when he 
became private secretarj' to Hezekiah Conant, 
which position he still holds. 

In politics Mr. Peirce is a Republican. 
He attends St. Stephen's Episcopal church. 
Providence. In 1893 he was married in Spring- 
field, Mass., to Belle Simonds, daughter of 
Kibbe Vashni Chapin, of Somers, Conn., and 
they have one child, Kibbe Chapin Peirce. Mr. 
Peirce is verj- much interested in local historical 
and genealogical studies, and has been at work 
for years compiling a genealogy of the Wheeler 
family. 

PERRIN, Edwin A.— In 1635 John Perrin, 
aged 21, came from London, England, to Brain- 
tree, Mass., on board the .ship "Safety," John 
Grant, master. He came with the Rev. Samuel 
Newman to Rehoboth in 1644, received a grant 
of land and became one of the founders of the 
town. He is buried in the old graveyard at 
what was orignially the " Ring of the Town," 
now in East Providence. Tlie line of descent to 
Edwin A. is as follows: John, the founder of 
the family, b. in England about 1614, d. in 
Rehoboth, Sept. 13, 1674; John, his son; 
Daniel, b. March iS, 1682, d. March 20, 1754; 
Daniel, b. Feb. 10, 171 1, d. Maj' 24, 1740; 
David, b. Oct. 20, 1739, d. Feb. 15, 1S25; 



4IO 



1 I,I,rSTR ATlvl) HISTORY ()!• I'AW T I' C K 1':T. 



Thoiiuis, 1). March i, 176S, d. Nov. S, 1S06 ; 
Aiiuisa, 1). March 5, 1S05, d. Ma.\- 7, 1S60. 

I'or years this branch ol the- I'crriii lainily 
li\cd ill and around Rchoboth. The iiuinhcr of 
times the name is mentioned in the local history 
shows what positions they held in the adminis- 
tration of the town governiiient. March 1 , 
1768, Thomas Perrin was born al Rchobotli, 
Mass. He was a farmer and his farm was 
made up of land that had dcscciide<l to him 
from the original grantee. He married I'oll\ 
Gotlfrey and one of their children was Aiiiasa 
Perrin. Amasa, unlike all his ancestors, turned 
his back upon the then comfortable and satis- 
factory life of the farm and .sought his fortune 
in a different line of work. He became a skilled 
mechanic. In 1S34, at 29 j-ears of age, he was 
joined in matrimony to Eliza Wilmarth, who 
still survives him, making her home with her 
son Edwin A., who was born in Pawtucket, 
Mass., Jan. 7, 1839. He was the oldest child 
and received his education in the public .schools 
of his native town and afterwards attended Lyon 
& Frieze's preparatory school at Providence. 
Mr. Perrin becanre prominently associated with 
the public life of Pawtucket at an early age, 
being appointed assistant postmaster in 1857, 
which position he held until 1865, at which time 
he was made postmaster and served in that 
capacity for 22 years. For the past ten \ ears 
he has been secretary of the Pawtucket Gas Co., 
of which he is a director. He is al.so a director 
of the Pacific National Bank, the Pawtucket 
Safe Deposit Co., the American Yarn Manufac- 
turing Co., as well as a trustee of the Pawtucket 
Institution for Savings. 

In politics Mr. Perrin is a Reiiublican and 
has often been honored with public office by his 
fellow citizens. He represented Pawtucket in 
the state legislature during the three terms of 
1888-1889, 1894-1895, and 1895-1896. He was 
alderman from the first ward during the \ears 
1894-5. He was appointed one of the members 
of the board of state valuation by the General 
Assembly in 1888. For three 3'ears he served 
as one of the trustees of the Pawtucket PVee 
Library. Mr. Perrin posse.sses qualities that 
are not often found together, rare business 



capacity coupled with practical sagacity, as is 
shown by the success he has attained. 

When the Pawtucket P.usiness Men's Asso- 
ciation was formed Mr. I'errin was one of its 
charter members. He belongs to the Masonic 
Order and the Veteran F'iremen's Association, 
and is also an associate member of Tower Post, 
C. A. R. 

Mr. Perrin in early days served on the staff 
of Brigadier General William R. Walker in the 
Brigade Rhode Island Militia, with rank of cap- 
lain. In 1S64 he was married to h)liza T. 
Greene of Pawtucket. The\- have one child, a 
daughter, named Annie T. Mr. Perrin and his 
faiiiil\' attend the Pawtucket Congregational 
church. 

PERRY, James A., son of James H. and 
Elizabeth (Goff) I^erry, was born in Rehoboth, 
Ma.ss., in 1854. He attended the public schools 
of his native town until he was eighteen years 
old, and afterward took a cour.se in the Bryant 
iS: Stratton Business College, Providence. He 
was then bookkeeper for the grocer}- hou.se of 
Perry & Hard}- of Providence for three years. 
In 1S79 he entered the employ of D. Goff & 
•Sons, Pawtucket, where he has since remained, 
and at present holds the position of assistant 
manager, with full charge of office work. In 
politics he is a Republican. He was married 
to Annie F. Hay of Pawtucket, in 1889. Mr. 
Perry is a descendant of Anthony Perry, who 
came from England about 1643 and settled in 
Rehoboth. Both his father and his grandfather 
were born in Rehoboth. His father died in 1877. 

PERRY, Fred Gorton, was born in Man- 
cliester, N. H., Jan. 31, 1863, and is the son of 
William and Nancy (Shrieve) Perry. He 
attended the schools of his native city and was 
graduated from the high school in the class of 
1880. Desiring to learn a profession he entered 
the office of (leorge L. Stevens, the mill archi- 
tect and engineer of the Amoskeag Co., where 
he obtained a thorough and practical knowledge 
of draughting and engineering. He remained 
in that office until 1884, when he went to Hamp- 
ton and engaged in agriculture with his father 
until iS,S7, when his father died. In iS.ss he 
came to Pawtucket. March 27, i8,S9, he 





FRANCIS J. PHILLIPS 

DRUGGIST. 



HENRY S. PHILLIP': 

UNDERTAKER. 





ALONZO E. PIERCE. 

,STER FALES A JENKS MACHI 



HENRY POOLE, 

HOE MAKER AND DEAL! 



* 





JAMES R. PAYNE. 

OF PAYNE * TAYLOR. 



JAMES A. PERRY, 

ASSISTANT MANAGER 0. OOFF A SONS- 



412 



ILU'STRATI' I) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKRT. 



accepted a position as clerk in the hi;j;h\vay 
department of this city and coiitinuL-d in thai 
position until he was appointed assistant com- 
missioner of public works in March, 1894, in 
which position he still remains. In political 
matters Mr. Pcrr\- is a Rcpuhlican. He takes 
an active interest in fratcryal societies, and is a 
member of the Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, 
Improved Order of Red Men, and also belongs 
to the Pawtucket Athletic Association and the 
Pawtucket Boat Club. Dec. 25, 1888, he was 
united in marriage to Jenny L. Perry, a daughter 
of Oliver H. Perry of Pawtucket, by which 
union there is one child, Marie Louise, b. Oct. 

ID, 1S90. 

PERRY, Oliver Hazard, was a member of a 
Rhode Island family which has been distin- 
guished both in the state and nation. The 
founder of the famil\-, who was an influential 
member of the Society of Friends, came from 
Devonshire, England, in 1650, and settled in 
Sandwich, Mass. Samuel, a son of this first 
comer, emigrated to Rhode Island and founded 
the settlement afterwards known as Perryville 
in South Kingstown. He was the progenitor of 
the Rhode Island Perrys, who have always 
been prominent citizens in the south part of the 
state. Among the distinguished members of 
the family were Commodore Oliver Hazard 
Perry, the hero of Lake Erie in the war of 
181 2, and Commodore Matthew C. Perry who 
negotiated the treaty with Japan. Statues to 
both these distinguished men stand in the 
public grounds of the citj' of Newport. 

Olivier Hazard Perry of Pawtucket is named 
after Commodore O. H. Perrj-, and his line of 
descent is through Samuel, the fir.st Rhode 
Island settler, and then through James, James, 
Jr., John, and Oeorge C. He was born in Hope 
village, town of Scituate, R. I., June 10, 1834, 
and was the youngest of eleven children of 
George C. and Thankful Thompson (Carpenter) 
Perry, who were both natives of South Kings- 
town. He attended the public schools of Natick, 
R. I., and Joseph Brown's private school in 
Seekonk, Mass., until he was fifteen years old. 
I'nderthe care of his next older brother, William, 
he then went to work in Governor Philip Allen's 




factory at what is now Ivnfield, and afterwards 
worked in Henry Jerauld's mill, Pawtucket, in 
the weave room of which his brother John was 
overseer. His brother \Yilliam had meanwhile 
become superintendent of Zachariah Allen's 
mills at Georgiaville, and Oliver went to work 
there. Returning to Pawtucket in 1855 he 
became overseer of the weave room in the mill 
of the Pawtucket Manufacturing Company, and 
remained there until the panic of 1857, when 
the mill, like a great many others throughout 
the state, was shut down. In June, 1S58, he 
went to work for the Dunnell Manufacturing 
Co. as overseer and inspector of the cloth 
department, and filled this position until late in 
1882, with the exception of the time he spent in 
the army during the civil war. 

Nov. I, 1882, Mr. Perry was elected chief 
of police of Pawtucket and held the office until 
May, 1884. He was again appointed Jan. 4, 
1886, on the inauguration of the first city gov- 
ernment, and was chief of police until his dealli, 
Aug. 2, 1896. 



BIOCRAPIIIES. 



413 



Mr. Perry went out for three inoiiths with 
Company E, 1st Rhode Island Volunteers, at 
the beginning of the war of the rebellion and 
served as corporal and sergeant. He then 
re-enli.sted for another three months in the 9th 
Rhode Island Volunteers, under Col. J. Talbot 
Pitman, and was orderly sergeant in Company 
A., Captain Robert McCloy. At the end of the 
term he was mustered out at Providence, then 
recruited a company for the 1 2lh Rhode Island 
Regiment, Col. George H. Brown, and went 
into service with it as captain of the company. 
This was a nine months' regiment. During this 
period he was with General Burnside in the 
army of the Potomac, and in the old gth army 
corps in the Department of the Ohio during the 
Tennessee campaign, and was in garrison at 
Cincinnati at the time of the Morgan raid, took 
part in the battle of Bull Run, and also in the 
battle of Fredericksburg. 

In local military circles Mr. Perry was 
active for nianj- years. He joined the Paw- 
tucket Light Guard in August, 1858. At the 
first call of President Lincoln for 75,000 volun- 
teers this organization responded and enlisted 
as Companj' E, ist R. I. Detached Volunteers. 
The regiment was divided into two detachments, 
and the first, including Company E, went to the 
front under General Burnside. Thej- took 
transport steamer at New York, went up Chesa- 
peake bay, landing at Annapolis, Md., and 
went around Baltimore. In this organization 
Mr. Perry went out as corporal and returned as 
sergeant. After their return to Pawtucket they 
reorganized under the same name and continued 
as a detached company of the Rhode Island 
militia until the change in the state laws relat- 
ing to a better organization of the militia. In 
this latter company Captain Perry held the 
rank of lieutenant-colonel. 

Mr. Perry was a member of Union Lodge, 
No. 10, A. F. and A. M., from 1864; he be- 
longed to the Pawtucket Royal Arch Chapter ; 
to O.ssamequin Tribe, No. 4, Improved Order 
of Red Men ; to Hope Lodge, No. 1S6, Knights 
of Honor; to the Veteran Firemen's Associa- 
tion ; and to Tower Post, G. A. R. .Sept., 
1855, he was married at Apponaug, to Mary 



Catherine Arnold, daughter of Joseph Arnold of 
Pawtucket, who was one of the firm of Rand & 
Arnold. Mrs. Perry died Sept., 1889. The 
children of this union were : Eva Arnold, b. 
June 14, 1857, who married George W. Tatter- 
sall, and d. 1877; Byron Tilton, b. i860, now 
a machine printer at the Duiniell printworks; 
Lillian Belle, b. March 2, 1863, married Samuel 
Nelson Hammond, color mixer at the Dunnell 
])rintworks: Jeiniie Louise, b. Sept. 5, 1864, 
married I''red G. Perry, assistant commissioner 
of public works ; Claude Warren, b. Jan. 24, 
1866, who is in the photograph business on 
East avenue. 

PERVEAR, Charles E., was born in Paw- 
tucket, Ma.ss., Dec. 19, 1850, and is the young- 
est child of Jacob S. and Abby Dean (Hopkins) 
Pervear. He attended the public .schools of his 
native town, finished the high school course 
and completed his education in Scholfield's 
Commercial College, Providence, July 28, 1868. 
He entered the office of Fairbrother & Fales, 
leather manufacturers, as bookkeeper, Aug. 10, 
1868, and there remained until the successor of 
the concern, George S. F'ales, went out of busi- 
ness in 1876. Then for a few months he was 
with Frank R. Almy in the same place and 
business, and on March 25, 1878, entered the 
office of the Pawtucket Hair Cloth Co., and has 
been connected with this corporation and with 
the American Hair Cloth Co., its successor in 
the manufacturing business, ever .since. Jul\- 
24, 1 89 1, he was elected agent of the Pawtucket 
Hair Cloth Co., which position he now holds 
in the ne\v company. Aug. 9, 1889, he was 
elected trea.surer of the Royal Weaving Co. ; 
Nov. 8. 1889, he became president of the To 
Kalon Club, holding that office for several 
years; and Sept. 17, 1891, he was elected 
trustee of the Providence County Savings Bank. 
All these positions, except the presidency of the 
To Kalon Club, he now holds. He is also an 
officer in several other corporations, and a mem- 
ber of a number of social organizations. In 
politics he is a Republican. Oct. 19, 1876, he 
was married to Ellen Louisa Gilbert of Worcester, 
Ma.ss., by which union there are three children : 
Ethel Stevens, b. Jan. 31, 1879; Charles 



414 



I L I, V S T R AT !•: D H I S T ( ) R V O F PAW T U C K E T. 



lunnions, h. l'"eb. 26, 18S0: ;iiul C.illicrt ( lod- 
danl, 1). l'\-l). 7, 1.SS6. 

Mr, PtTvcur is ;i ilesceiulaiit on his mother's 
side of Thomas Hopkins, who was born in Eng- 
land, April 7, 16 16, was one of the original 
owners of the " Home Lotts " of the early set- 
tlers of Providence Plantations, and the ancestor 
of the Hojikins family of Rhode Island. Among 
the distinguished members of this famih- were 
Stejthen Hopkins, governor of the colon}' of 
Rhode Islan<l and one of the signers of the 
Declaration of Independence, and Commodore 
P'sek Ho])kins, the first admiral of the Contin- 
ental na\\ . < )n his father's side Mr. Pen-ear 
is ol l'"reHch Huguenot ancestry. 

PETTIS, Qeorge Henry, city sealei' of 
weights and measures, Pro\-idence, son of 
Henry Nelson and ( )li\-e Gra\-es (Parker) Pet- 
tis, was born in Pawtucket, March 17, 1S34. 
His family migrated to Cohoes, N. Y., where 
he attended the public schools. He then 
learned the trade of a printer, which he followed 
until 1S54, when lie went to California and en- 
gaged in mining. In 1.S58 he returned to work 
at his trade in San F'rancisco. In August, 

1 86 1, he joined Company B, ist California 
Infantry, as second lieutenant, and was pro- 
moted to be first lieutenant, Co. K, in January, 

1862. He .served through the war, was mus- 
tered out in February, 1S65, and immediately 
enli.sted again as ist lieutenant, Co. F, ist New 
Mexico Infantry, vva,s promoted to be adjutant 
in June, 1865, and was mu.stered out Sept., 
1866. Having served continuously five years 
and fifteen days he was appointed captain by 
brevet in U. S. ^'olunteers by President John- 
son, for '•distinguished gallantry" in action 
with the Comanche and Kiowa Indians, at the 
Adobe Walls, Texas, Nov. 25, 1864, while 
under the command of Colonel Kit Carson. 

In 1868 Mr. Pettis came from New Mexico 
to Providence. He represented the ninth ward 
in the city council from June, 1872, to Januar\ , 
1876, and was elected a representative to the 
General Assembly, 1876-1877. From 1878 to 
1885 he was boarding officer of the port of 
Providence, and was marine editor of the 
Providence Journal from 1885 to 1887. He 




MEASURES, PROVIC 



became a member of the G. A. R., by joining 
Kit Carson Post, No. i. New Mexico, in 1868, 
and joined Slocum Post, No. 10, by transfer in 
1873, in which post he held the offices of adju- 
tant and chaplain. He was a charter member 
of Arnold Post, No. 4, in which he held the 
positions of officers of the da)- and senior vice 
commander. He was chief mustering officer, 
department of Rhode Island, in 1877-9, assistant 
mustering officer in 1890, and was a member of 
the National Council of Admistration and a dele- 
gate to the twentieth national encampment held in 
San Francisco in 1886. He become a member 
of the military order of the Loyal Legion of the 
LTnited States, Commandery of California, Nov 
:o, 18S6; is corresponding secretary of the 
Rhode Island Soldiers and Sailors Historical 
.Society ; a member of the Society of California 
\'olunteers; also of the Society of California 
Pioneers of New Ivngland ; was president, in 
iSyi-2, of the California Volunteers Veteran 
Association and is now its secretary and treas- 
urer: and is a mend)cr of the Providence Press 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



415 



Club. He is an honorarj- member of the Second 
Rhode Island X'eteran Association ; belongs to 
the Fifth Rhode Island Association ; the Rhode 
Island Historical Society ; and the Providence 
\'eteran Firemen's Association. Mr. Pettis was 
married Sept., 1859, and has three children 
living: George Henry, Jr.; Annie Olive; and 
Charles Lucius. 

PHILLIPS, Francis J., was born in Provi- 
dence, R. I., Jan. 26, 1844; attended the pub- 
lic schools of his native city and graduated from 
the high school. In 1859 he attended the 
department of chemistry at Brown University' 
and generally devoted himself to the studies 
which would best fit him for the pharmac\' of 
those times. His first situation in the drug 
business was with the old estalilished house of 
Earl P. Mason & Co., of Providence. From 
there he went to Boston and entered the estab- 
lishment of Weeks & Potter and ahso held a 
position as clerk in the store of Frank Simmons, 
retail druggist, at the corner of Dover and 
Washington streets. He remained in Boston 
until he was obliged to abandon his situation 
on account of a severe injury sustained at 
Weeks & Potter's. For a time he left the drug 
business and became freight clerk with the 
Portland and Boston Steamboat Co., and was 
clerk of the wharf in Boston at the time Port- 
land was burned. In 1866 he entered the 
employ of Perry Davis & Son of Providence, 
and became traveling salesman for their " Pain- 
Killer." In 1868 he established a retail drug 
store in Providence, and in 1872 became junior 
partner in the firm of George L- Claflin &: Co., 
wholesale druggi-sts of Providence. The follow- 
ing j'ear he sold out his interest in that firm but 
continued in the retail store, which he also 
retained during that time. 

In 1874 he became one of the charter mem- 
bers and organizers of the Rhode Island Phar- 
maceutical Association, and has been its presi- 
dent, vice-president and secretary as well as a 
member of nianj- important committees. He 
has invented a can which is much used in 
handling castor oil and other heavy liquids, 
known as the improved dispenser and measurer 
of liquids. In 1877 he purchased " Apothecaries 



Hall" in Pawtucket, which he conducted in 
connection with his Providence store until Jan. 

1, 1892, when he disposed of his Providence 
interests and confined himself to his Pawtucket 
establishment, at 183 Main street, a location 
which has long been identified with the drug 
business, as in 1830 it was occupied by William 
Baile}-, and sticcessivelj' by vSam Greene, S. & 
C. Clapp, Lyman Clapp, Bela P. Clapp, Henry 
M. Read, Byron R. Johnson and John Coe. It 
was in this store that the first experiments were 
made by Bela P. Clapp for the production of 
water of ammonia. This was also the first store 
in Pawtucket to draw soda water in the days of 
»Sam Greene. In those days the streets were 
really countrv roads and trees grew in front of 
the .store, and vSam Greene's unique adverti.se- 
ment of soda and cigars is even now remembered 
by some : " Smoke a short six or a long nine 
and drink our soda under the linden trees." 

Dec. 13, 1870, Mr. Phillips was married to 
Caroline W. Stanhope, b^- which union he has 
one .son, Frederick Stanhope Phillips, b. March 
9, 1873. Mr. Phillips is descended from an old 
Xew P^ngland family. His father. William 
Phillips, was a Baptist clergyman, and his 
mother a descendant of the Edmands family of 
Charlestown, Ma.ss. 

PHILLIPS, Frederick E., was born in Cen- 
tral Falls, R. I., Jan. 18, 1862. He attended 
the public schools of his native place until his 
i6th \ear, when he learned the trade of a chaser 
on jewelry. Later he was a storekeeper and 
subsequently w'as engaged as a highway sur- 
veyor. Under his direction the streets within 
districts eight and nine. Central Falls, were 
laid out. He also supen'ised the masonry and 
ledge work of Jenks park. Mr. Phillips is a 
Democrat and has .ser\'ed as moderator of both 
school and voting districts. In 1894 he was 
appointed postmaster of Central Falls, which 
]5osition he still holds. He is a member of 
Jenks Lodge, No. 24, A. F. and A. M. : Superior 
Lodge, No. 35, I. O. O. F. ; Washington Lodge, 
No. 4, K. of P.; Roger Williams Lodge, No. 
17, A. O. U. W. : Central Falls Veteran Fire- 
men's Association; Queen Esther Chapter, No. 

2, Order Eastern Star, and Victoria Lodge, No. 



4i6 



I LLUSTRATl'D HISTORY OF PAW T r C K I-T. 



26, Daughters of Rebecca. He was nmrricd 
May 13, 1S86, to Mary Frances Shove. 

PHILLIPS, Henry S., son o( J. Henry and 
Sarah R. PhilHps was born Sept. 27, 185CS, at 
Digliton, Mass. In 1859 his parents located in 
Pawtucket. He obtained his education in the 
public schools of North Providence and the 
Pawtucket high school. When 16 years old he 
went to work in a sash and blind shop and 
later worked in a cardboard factory. In 18S0 
he was clerk in the freight department of the 
Providence and Worcester railroad, at Paw- 
tucket, and in 1881 entered the employ of D. A. 
Clark, learned the undertaking business and 
attended a course of lectures on embalming at 
Boston. In March, 1893, he started in business 
on his own account as furnishing funeral director 
and embalmer at 121 Broad street, his present 
location. His business has prospered and his is 
one of the best ecjuipped establishments in 
Pawtucket. 

Mr. Phillips has Ijeen a member of the First 
Baptist church since 1881 and a member of the 
church choir since 1879. He has been auditor 
of the church society several years. He belongs 
to Charles E. Chickering Lodge, No. 20, 
Knights of Pythias, and is chairman of the 
board of tru.stees. June, 1S83, he was married 
to Bertha L., daughter of D. A. Clark, who 
died within a year of her marriage. In Oct. 
1885, he was married to Hattie B. Gatchell. 
Mr. Phillips' father was a member of the firm of 
Cushman, Phillips & Co., spool manufacturers, 
which firm was succeeded by Atwood, Craw- 
ford & Co. 

PHINNEY, Squire Zenas, son of Zenas and 
Eleanor (Hall) Phinney, was born Feb. 20, 
1831, in Cumberland, R. I. His parents moved 
when he was a young child to Pawtucket, where 
he attended the private school of Mr. Hayward. 
FVom the age of six until he was 15 he worked 
in the old Slater mill, and then began to learn 
the trade of a mason, which he followed a few 
years, when he learned the trade of cigar mak- 
ing, working thereat in lioston, Mass., and 
Providence, R. 1. He ahandoncd the cigar 
business for a time and worked for Woodbury 
& Curtis, jewelers, Providence. In 1858 he 



l)egan the manufacture <il cigars in Pawtucket 
and later opened a l)r.nK-h factory and store in 
Providence, remaining there until 1.S74, when 
the manufacturing was all removed to Paw- 
tucket. He first began to manufacture in the 
Miller block, l)ut finallv established his plant 
corner of Church and Pine streets, where his 
residence and the factory are now located. He 
still has a branch store at No. 127 We\bosset 
.street, Providence. vSome years since Mr. 
Phinney retired from active business and the 
factory and .stores are operated by his sons. 

In i)olitics Mr. Phinney is an independent. 
>Sept. if^). I ■'^53, he was married to Sarah N. 
Gray of I'roxidence, 1)\' which union there are 
five children: William II., h. l"eh. 15, 1853; 
George, b. Nov. 14, 1857; .Sarah M., li. Dec. 
5, i860; Charles F., b. Aug. 16, 1868 : Stiuire 
Z., Jr., b. Nov. 24, 187 1. Mr. Phinne\'s 
parents were l)orn in Harwick, Mass.: his 
father Jan. 10, 1794, and his mother July 28, 
1797 : and they came from the best stock of the 
linglish immigrants who settled at Cape Cod. 

PIERCE, Alonzo Earle, was born in Calais, 
Washington County, Vermont, July 12, 1838, 
and is the second child of Stephen and Polly 
(Ide) Pearce. He is descended from Captain 
Michael Pierce who came to America about 
1645, settled in Scituate, Mass., and was the 
commander of the company of Englishmen and 
friendly Indians who were ambushed by the 
Indians, March 26, 1676, on the east bank of the 
Blackstone river between Central Falls and 
Valley Falls. Captain Pierce and nearly all 
his men were slain and this disastrous engage- 
ment is known historically as " Pierce's fight." 

Alonzo E. attended the common schools of 
his native town, the Morri.sville, \"t., Academy, 
the Newbury Seminary, and prepared for col- 
lege in the New Union school, Montpelier, \'t. 
Instead however of taking a collegiate course he 
went into the army at the age of 23. W'hile his 
schooling did not terminate until that time he 
had charge of the home farm from the age of 
17, when his father died. June id, 1861, he 
enlisted in the 3d regiment, \'ermont infantry, 
in which he served until Dec. 14, 1863. His 
regiment was a part of the 2d brigade, 2d divi- 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



417 



sion 6th army corps, under General Franklin, 
and was known as the Vermont brigade. He 
participated in all the battles in which the army 
of the Potomac was engaged during his term 
of service, including Antietam, Fredericksburg 
and Gettsyburg. He enlisted as a private, but was 
commissioned second lieutenant and promoted 
to the rank of captain. While in front of Lee's 
ami)' at the battle of Gettsyburg his company 
was ordered to take a position on the left of 
Rounn Top Mountain in response to an order to 
send a trusty company from the Vermont 
brigade. This was on the evening of July 4, 
1863, and the object was to keep a watch on 
Gen. Lee's movements, who was supposed to 
have a design of flanking the Union forces. 
Capt. Pierce's companj- was about half a mile 
beyond the lines and his men were spread out 
over a di.stance of nearl)- half a mile, and were 
actualh- serving as vedettes. 

Captain Pierce came to Pawtucket in the 
spring of 1865, and went to work in November 
of the same year for Je.sse S. Thornton & Co., 
coal dealers, in their office as bookkeeper, and 
remained with tliem and their successors until 
July, 1SS2, wlien lie- took a position with the 
Fales & Jenks Machine Co., as bookkeeper, and 
in 1890 became chief clerk and pa^'master. 
These positions he .still holds. In politics Captain 
Pierce is a Republican. For two years he 
served in the Pawtucket town council, and in 
the city council represented the fourth ward 
from 1886 to 1888 and the third ward from 1891 to 
1S94. From 1892 to 1894 he was president of 
the council. He is also a trustee of the public 
library and a member of the school committee. 
He attends the Park Place Congregational 
church, belongs to Tower Post, No. 17, G. A. 
R., is a member of Pawtucket Council, American 
Legion of Honor, and of Pawtucket Lodge, No. 
130, New England Order of Protection. .Sejit. 
20, 1865, he was married to Nellie Amanda 
White, daughter of Jacob and Clarissa White, 
who died Jan. 25, 1S93 ; by this union there are 
three children : Alton Lyman, b. Sept. 8, 1867, 
now bookkeeper for Fales & Jenks Machine Co., 
Howard liarle, b. Nov. 26, 1870, now clerk in the 
office of the co.mmissiouer of public works ; Irene 



Alice, b. Dec. 18, 1875, a teacher in the public 
schools. Capt. Pierce was married to Celia Fallen 
Bradford, Nov. 26, 1896. 

PIERCE, Henry A., .son of Sanford R. and 
Betse)' (Fairbrother) Pierce was born March 12, 
1846, in Pawtucket. He was educated in the 
common and high schools of Pawtucket, supple- 
mented by a course in a commercial college at 
Providence. During the war of the rebellion 
he served as a private in the 9th Rhode Island 
Infantry \'olunteers, was commissary-sergeant 
of the Pawtucket Light Guard, and ser\-ed on 
staff duty in the Rhode Island militia, as cap- 
tain, major, and as colonel upon the staff of the 
late Governor Littlefield. He was town auditor 
of Pawtucket, was al.so one of the assessors, and 
served as clerk of the board. For seven years 
he was treasurer of St. Paul's church. In 
.Masonr\- he has been master of Union Lodge 
and commander of Holy Sepulchre Command- 
ery. From 1884 to 1S94 he was assistant finan- 
cial .secretary of the United States Senate, 
Washington, D. C. He is now treasurer and 
general manager of the Pawtucket Electric Co. 

PIERCE, Sanford R., younge.st son of 
George Augustus and Lucretia (Carpenter) 
Pierce, was born in the town of Cumberland, 
R. I., Oct. 16, 1819, and died May 31, 1893. 
He was descended from Richard Pierce of York, 
luigland, who was one of the first settlers of 
Portsmouth, R. I. Sanford came to Pawtucket 
when 15 years old, worked for a time in the 
store of David LeFavour, and then learned to 
be a tailor with Gideon L. Spencer. Soon after 
completing his apprenticeship he engaged in 
business in Providence, and in 1845, in company 
with his brother Nathaniel, started a tailoring 
business in Pawtucket, in the Adams building, 
corner of Main street and East avenue. In 
February. 1S50, the busine.ss was removed to 
the .Vmos M. Read building, then ju.st com- 
pleted, and in this store Mr. Pierce carried on 
his industry for more than 42 years. 

He became a member of St. Paul's PZjiisco- 
pal church in 1830, was elected one of the vestry 
in 1851, junior warden in 1854, and was senior 
warden from 1868 to 1872. I'ntil his death he 
continued in the office of vestryman and was 



4if 



ILLL'STRATK D HISTORY OF I'AWTUCKl-T 



for many years the oldest in service on the 
board. May 3, 1S47, he was elected a director 
of the Sunday school and held that position for 
many years. From 1857 to 1S74 he was sui)er- 
intendent of the Sunday school. Dec. 29, iSgi, 
he had an attack of extreme exhaustion, some- 
what like a paralytic stroke, (rum wliii-h he 
never fully recovered. 

March 21, 1S42, he was married to Hetsey, 
ouI\ (laui;hter of Jarvis and Betsey (F^ield) 
F'airbrother, and they had (\v<; children, George 
S., Henry A., Clara R. ( l^)urlint;aine): Lizzie 
F'icid, d. May 22, 1.S63, and Anna Laura, d. 
Ma>- I J, 1864. 

POHLSON, Carl Vilhelm, dealer in fine 
ph()togra])h\' and ])icture Iranies in the Pacific 
Bank building-, Pawtucket, was born in Sweden, 
where he attended the schools and academies 
until he was 17 years old, after which he 
traveled over Europe, South America and C.er- 
many. He came to the Ihiited States in 1S87 
and located in Boston, Mass., where he at first 
engaged in mercantile life, but afterward learned 
the art of photograjjlix . He <)l)tained his experi- 
ence with Hastings and with Notnian, the lead- 
ing artistic photographers of Boston, and also 
with Rose, and with the Hortnn Brothers of 
Providence, and last with I,ouis M. Jackson, 
who had .studios in Providence and Pawtucket. 
In 1895 Mr. Pohlson purchased Mr. Jack.son's 
Pawtucket studio, which he now owns and oper- 
ates on the top floor of the Pacific Bank build- 
ing. The establishment is locally known as the 
" Maple .Studio," and is one of the best ap- 
pointed ]ihotogra])h parlors in New England. 
Mr. Pohlson possesses the taste of the born 
artist, which in condiinalion with his superior 
practical knowledge of the photographic art, 
assures high grade work, as is attested b)- the 
illustrations shown in this book, the majority of 
which, especially the portraits, were made by 
photo-engraving from his photographs. 

POOLE, Henry, was born Dec. 10, 186;,, in 
Halifax, N'orkshire, Ivnghuid, and is the si.xth 
child of Richard ICdward and Eliza (I)ood) 
I'dole. He came to America in 1887. In 188S 
he began business as a shoemaker at 23 High 
street, Pawtucket, but removed in 1896 to his 



present location, 150 Main street. In jiolitics he 
is a Re]niblican, belongs to the Methodistchurch, 
and is a member of the Sons of St. (icorge. In 

1883 he was nuirried to Selina Lockwood of 
Stockport, luigland, by which union there are 
two children: William Henry, b. in ,'^tock])orl, 

1884 ; FUhel, 1). Pawtucket, 1890. 

POTTER, James C, president of the How- 
ard >.\: liullough American Machine Co., Ltd.. 
was l)()rn in Scotland, May, 1855, and is the 
oldest and only surviving son of James and 
Elizabeth (Johnstone) Potter. His ancestors 
were Scotch in both branches of the family, the 
father's side of the house hailing from Lochgilp- 
head in Argyleshire, and the mother's side 
from Bridge-of-Allan in »Stirling.shire. The 
father, who was of an inventive turn of mind and 
was al.so a mechanic, came to this country in 
1872. He resided in Philadelphia for two 
years and then went to Lowell, Mass., where 
he lived until the time of his death in 1884. 
His son James and the mother joined the lather 
by coming to this country in 1874. The mother, 
an extremeh' bright and energetic woman is 
still alive and resides in Lowell. 

James C. was educated at the Mechanics 
Institute, Glasgow, and his first employment 
was with H. J. H. King i.\: Co., experimental 
engineers, Glasgow, as a mechanical and experi- 
mental engineer. Later he was in the engineer- 
ing department of the Anchor Line vSteamship 
Co., and afterwards had charge of one of the 
departments of The \'ale of Clyde Engineering 
Works. On coming to this country he was 
appointed manager of the Whitehead eS: Ather- 
ton Machine Co., at Lowell, Mass. In i8,sj lie 
started the Potter and .Vthertnn Machine Co. at 
Pawtucket with 20 men, and ir. si.x \ears 
has 250 men on the pay roll. In 1893 he organ- 
ized the Howard & Bidlough American Machine 
Co., Ltd., at Pawtucket, now cmi)loying about 
1000 men (for an account of this enterprise see 
page 148 of this history). 

Mr. Potter is also the inventor of fifty or 
sixty patents on textile machiner\-, nearly all 
of which are in operation to-day. While in 
Scotland he was a member of the 5th Battalion 
of the Royal Rifles — a volunteer organization. 




H. R. CAULFIELD 



AND MANAGER FOUB YEARS. 



420 



ILLUSTRATHD HISTORY OF 1' A \VT UC K IvT. 



He is a nieniber of all the Masonic bodies in 
Pawtucket, and aUends the Congregational 
cluirch. His mental endowments and trained 
mind, united with his superior aptitude for ])rac- 
tical undertakings, has fitted him for the man- 
agement of great industrial uiulertakings and 
has enabled him to rise from the ranks to the 
position he now occupies. In 1879 he was mar- 
ried in Baltimore, Md., to Charlotte Holland, 
b\- which union there are six children : Wallace 
and Clara born in Lowell, and Chailolte, h'liza- 
beth, James and Mar\- l)orn in I'awtucket. 

PRATT, Gilbert Walker, was born in Taun- 
ton, Mass., Feb. 17, 1.S33, and is the oldest son 
of Ebenezer Walker and Abigail (Lincoln) 
Pratt. His father was born in Taunton, Oct. 
13, 1S02, and died there in i8iS6, and his mother, 
who is still living, was born in Taunton, May 
29, 1804. Mr. Pratt is descended in the eighth 
generation from Matthew Pratt, one of the lirst 
settlers of Weymouth, Mass., and also traces 
his descent from the Widow Walker of Relio- 
both, who with two sons came from England in 
1635. Imh- generations the Walker family was 
prominent in Rehoboth, and the Pratts have been 
numerous and prominent in many towns of the 
Old Colony. 

Gilbert W. received his education at the 
Taunton Academy and at the high school, and 
was graduated from the latter when 18 >ears 
old. He then went to work in the Mason Ma- 
chine Works, Taunton, where he remained for 
16 years, during this time advancing step by 
step until he had charge of a department of the 
works. In 1866 he came to work as master 
mechanic for the Lonsdale Co., where he has 
continued ever since. In 1874 he was appointed 
assistant superintendent, but on the retirement 
of Mr. George Kilburn, in 1878, who was gen- 
eral superintendent of the company for many 
years, Mr. Pratt was advanced to that position, 
which he still continues to fill. He is an 
active member of Christ church, (Flpiscopal) 
Lonsdale. He belongs to the Pawtucket Busi- 
ness Men's Association, and is a member of 
Holy Sepulchre Commanderx', I'awtucket. May 
20. 1855, he was married to Sarah A. Lincoln in 
Taunton, and they have three children, all born 



in Taunton: Liz/ie F., b. Jan. 17, 1857 ; Carrie 
I'., 1). A])ril 17, 1862; Charles G., b. Jan. 9, 1865. 

PRAY, George Washington, was born in 
Killingly, Conn., in 1858, and was the oldest 
child of Daniel and Mary F. (Parkhurst) Pray. 
His father was a cotton mill superintendent in 
a number of places, and w^as very successful in 
that difTicult business. George attended the 
public schools of Danielsonville until he was 13 
years old, after which he worked for three years 
as a clerk in a hardware store in that village. 
In 1873 he came to Pawtucket and worked 
under his father for three years in the mills of 
the Slater Cotton Co. He then went to work in 
1878 for Charles Clougli the jeweler, and learned 
the trade of a jeweler and w-atchmaker. For 15 
)ears after learning his trade he worked for W . 
W. Dexter as a watchmaker and re])airer. In 
1S93 he opened a jeweler's store at 9 High 
street, and in 1S94 removed to 211 Main street, 
where in March, 1895, he was burned out. He, 
however, reopened in the same location when 
the structure was rebuilt, and .still carries on his 
store there. He makes a specialty of fine 
jewelry and watch repairing and carries a fine 
stock of high-class jewelr\', watches and clocks. 
Mr. Pray was married, Aug. 4, 1886, to Annie 
Iv Boss, and they have three children : Mildred, 
George B., and Helen. 

PRIOR, Andrew, son of John ami Julia 
Prior, was born in 1S51 at Providence, where he 
attended the public schools. In 1864 he entered 
the employ of William Davidson, proprietor of 
the Franklin Dye House, where he has since 
remained. Wlien Mr. Davidson retired in 1879, 
he succeedetl U> the Ijusiness. The business 
prospered and to better meet the demands of 
Pawtucket patrons he opened a branch at 334 
Main street. The I''ranklin I)\e House is now 
an institution in the two cities of Providence 
and Pawtucket and nurils and ri-ceives its (|uota 
of patronage. 

QUIQG, Alfred William, was born Ajiril 
21, 1857, in Worcester Count)-, .Maivland. He 
was educated at Washington College, Chester- 
town, Md. Poor health precluded him from 
continuing his studies, and when 18 years old 
he went to Wyoming and secured employment 



BIOGRAPHIES, 



421 



as a cowboy, which occupation he followed for 
seven years. He then returned to New York 
and connected himself with the New York Life 
Insurance Co., and in 1S89 was appointed agent 
of the company at Pawtucket, and in 1896 gen- 
eral agent for Rhode Island, which position he 
now holds, with offices in Providence. In poli- 
tics he is a Republican. He attends the Metho- 
dist church. In 18S9 he was married to Mellee 
Julia Ireland of New York, by which union 
there are three children: John Biddle, b. Jan. 
29, 1890; Louise, b. March iS, 1892; Mildred, 
b. Feb. 9, 1895. 

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Quigg 
were Isaiah, b. in Scotland, in 1799, d. in New 
Jensey in 1870, and Harriett Arnan, b. in Scot- 
land, 1798, and d. in New Jersey in 1873. Rev. 
John Bolton Ouigg, father of Alfred \V., was 
b. in Philadelphia, Aug. 3, 1827. It was 
mainly through his efforts that the Wilmington 
Conference Academy was established, he having 
secured more than $50,000 for its erection. 
Rev. Howard Townsend Quigg, of Bryn Mawr, 
Pa., and Lemuel Ely Quigg, editor of the New 
York Press and congressman from the city of 
New York, are brothers to Alfred. 

QUINN, William H., son of Henry and 
Catherine (Hoops) Uuinn, was born in Hook- 
set, N. H., Marcli 12, 1839, and received his 
education in the district schools. His first 
occupation was in a cotton mill. He enlisted as 
a private in Company A, 8th regiment New 
Hampshire Infantry, Sept. 13, 1861, at Nashua, 
N. H., and was mustered into .service Oct. 23, 
the same year at Manchester, N. H. He was 
with Butler's expedition, which arrived at Shi]) 
Island, Miss., March, 1862, and was engaged in 
all the actions of the Department of the Gulf. 
At Port Hudson, La., he was wounded. He 
reenli.sted. May 27, 1863, as first sergeant, Coni- 
panj' B, 8th regiment N. H. Volunteers, and 
was honorably discharged at \'icksburg. Miss., 
Oct. 28, 1865. He was afterwards conunissioncd 
by and served the state of New Hampshire, and 
later was commissioned to and served the state 
of Rhode Island. 

Mr. Ouinn is proprietor of the Cil\ Wall 
Pajjer House, 440 High street. Central l''alls, 



R. I., and also deals in white leads, oils, var- 
nishes, glass, and painters materials. In poli- 
tics he is a Republican. He is a member of the 
Broad Street Baptist church ; belongs to Good 
Samaritan Lodge, I. O. O. F. ; Manchester 
luicampnient ; Florence Lodge, D. of R.; and 
the Odd Fellows Beneficial Association. He 
was a prominent member of the fire department, 
and is now a member of the Central Falls Vet- 
eran Firemen's Association. Jan. 6, 1859. he was 
married to .Sarah M. Parkes of Nashua, N. H. 

READ, John Blal<e, a prominent hardware 
merchant of Pawtucket, was born in Ivastport, 
Me., Dec. 2. 1802, and died in Pawtucket, Feb. 
27, 1862. He was the .son of Jonathan and Doro- 
thy (Blake) Read, both of whom lived to a 
great age. Jonathan Read was an old soldier 
and was a prisoner on the old Jersey prison ship 
during the revolution. He died when 91 years 
old, and was the father of 13 children, 12 of 
whom grew to maturity. John B. was next to 
the youngest. When five years of age his 
parents removed to Westbrook, where he was 
sent to a district school until he was 14 years of 
age. At this time he went to work in a tin 
shop, living with his oldest sister while he 
learned the trade. In 1821 he came to Paw- 
tucket, where he remained during the rest of 
his life, and for nearly half a century was in the 
hardware trade. His .shop was opened on Main 
street, on the site where the John B. Read block 
now stands, and was located about where James 
A. Slattery's drug store is. In 1842 he built his 
residence, where his widow now lives, on Wal- 
cott .street, and in 1850 he erected the brick 
block, which now inimbers 176 to 180 Main 
.street. The block next to it was built by 
Amos M. Read, his older brother, who was 
also a hardware merchant. The Reads were 
the oldest and most prominent merchants in 
their line of business for many years. Amos M. 
Read came to Pawtucket several years before 
John. He died in 1880, a very old man. Nov. 
17, i.S2,s, Mr. Read was married to Jane That- 
cher Ingraham, onl\' child of F^lias and Phebe 
(Thatcher) Ingraham of Attleboro, Mass. Her 
father was a mechanic, and died in 1S47. Mrs. 
Read was born in Attleboro, Mass., June 5, 



422 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAW TUCKET. 



I Sot). In SeptcinliL-r, 1^9(1, she \-i.silf(l the 
While Mountain.^, ami enjoyed the tri]) as 
keenly as when in iS;,2, si.\t\-t\vo years before, 
she, in conipanv with her luisband, made the 
same jonrney by stage coach, and rode up the 
mountain on horseback. Mr. and Mrs. Read 
also had but one child, Mary Drowne Read, 
afterwards the wife of lulward LeFaxuur. ,She 
died in 1X58, after the birth of John I^dward 
LeI'avour, Mrs. Read's grandson and her only 
descendant. 

John 15. Read was distinctively a business 
man. .\s a ptiblic spirited citizen, however, he 
was induced to accept various offices, such as 
town councilman, etc., all of which positions he 
filled with great credit to himself and to the best 
interests of his constituents. Politically he was 
a Whig, but at the fornuition of the Republican 
party before the war he became one of its 
.staunchest members. When Pawtucket was a 
])art of Massachusetts, he was elected to the 
lower hou.se of the .state legislature and served 
four years. He was a very popular man. P'or 
a long time he was commanding general of the 
Massachusetts militia. 

RICE, Randall Hopkins, chief of police of 
Pawtticket, was born in Coventry, R. I., May 
II, 1837, and is the sixth child of Jo.shua P. and 
Uorcas (Fisk) Rice. The Rice family is of 
English origin, the immediate Engli.sh ancestors 
having lived on the Isle of Wight. John Rice, 
the founder of the family in this country, came 
from London in 1661 with Edmund Calverly 
when only sixteen years old, and settled at 
Warwick, R. I. He married the daughter of 
Randall Holden, one of the leading men of 
Warwick, and on May 4, 1675, was admitted as 
a freeman of the colony of Rhode Island. Pre- 
\ious to that time he had been a freeman of the 
town of Warwick. The line of descent from 
the first settler from father to son is : John Rice, 
b. in England, 1646, d. in Warwick, 1731; 
Randall, one of the first settlers in Coventry, b. 
in Warwick, d. in Coventry, 1742; Capt. Rich- 
ard, 1). and d. in Coventry; John, b. in Coventry 
1746: John, 1). 1776, d. i<S66, in Coventry; and 
Joshua, the father of Randall H.. b. 18(14, d. 
1862 in Coventrv. 




RANDALL H. RICE, 

Randall H. attended the public schools of 
Plainfield, Conn., and was graduated from the 
academy in that place when 18 years okl. He 
then went to work at Moosup, Conn., where he 
remained two years. In 1857 he came to Paw- 
tucket and entered upon an apprenticeship to 
the machinist trade. Here he remained until 
the outbreak of the war of the rebellion. After 
the war he worked as a machinist until 1874, 
when he was appointed chief of police of the 
town of Pawtucket and held this office until 
1882, when he resigned. In 1S85 he was again 
appointed chief. Later, he became superintend- 
ent of the Hope Thread mill and afterwards of 
Gage's mill. In 1893 he was appointed captain 
of police. On Aug. 6, 1896, he was a third time 
appointed chief of police, succeeding Oliver H. 
Perry, deceased. 

Mr. Rice had a distinguished record during 
the war of the rebellion. He enlisted April 15, 
1861, in the Pawtucket Light Guard, Company 
I",, and was mustered out Aug. 2, 1862. Oct. 
24, 18(11, he enlisted to serve during the war in 
the iith Conn. Infantry, remained with this 
conunand during the entire struggle, and was 
mnslered out Se])t. 18, 1865. .Starting as a 
private, he was promoted to be first .sergeant. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



423 



Dec. 3, 1861 ; second lieutenant, March 28, 
1862; first lieutenant, Oct. 27, 1862; captain, 
Dec. 17, 1862; major, Oct. 25, 1864; lieutenant 
colonel, Nov. 30, 1864 ; colonel, Jan. 31, 1865, 
of the iith Conn. In[antr\-. He was also actin.s; 
brigadier-general of 2(1 l)rigade, 3d division, 
24th corps. Army of the James, and at the close 
of the war had command at Lynchburg of the 
2d independent brigade and served as military 
governor of seven counties in southwestern 
Virginia, district of New Ri\er. He was 
engaged in the following battles : l-'irsl I'.ull 
Run, Newbern, South Mountain, Antietam, 
First Fredericksburg, Second Fredericksburg, 
Siege of Suffolk, Providence Church Road, 
Edenton Road, Whitehouse Landing, Bermuda 
Hundred, Port Walthal, Swift Creek, Drury's 
Bluff, Coal Harbor, Petersburg, p-ort Harrison, 
Chapin's Farm, New Market Road, and Appo- 
mattox. His brigade was one of the first to 
enter Richmond April 3, 1865. He was wounded 
at Newbern, Suffolk and Petersburg. The 
wound received at the latter place was in the 
abdomen, the ball passing through the bod\ . 

Col. Rice attends the St. Paul's Episcopal 
church. In politics he is a Republican. He is 
a member of Union Lodge, No. 10, A. F. and 
A. M.; Pawtucket Royal Arch Chapter, No. 4; 
Pawtucket Council, R. and .S. M., No. 2 : H()l\- 
Sepulchre Connnander\- : and Tower Post, G. 
A. R., No. 17. 

Dec. 14, 1863, he was married at Pawtucket 
to Margaret E. Bates, a descendant in the eighth 
generation from Clement Bates, who .settled at 
Hingham, Mass., in 1635. The children of 
this union are : Herbert Ambrose, b. July 25, 
1866, and Edna Amelia, b. Feb. 29, 1868, who 
is now the wife of George E. Gale of Amesbury, 
Mass. 

ROBBINS, Walter H., the second .son of 
Jeremiah and Mary Ann (Southwick) Robbins, 
was born in Millville, Mass., Aprils, 1861. He 
first went to .school at Lonsdale and completed 
his education by a year's course at the Bryant 
& Stratton Business College, Providence. For 
ten years he was a clerk in a dry goods store. 
In 189 1 he left this occupation and entered into 
a partnership with Henry E. Watjen in the real 



estate and fire insurance business on a small 
scale in Pawtucket, under the name of Watjen 
& Robbins. In 1894 the firm organized the 
Home Building Co., which carries on one of the 
largest real estate and building businesses in the 
city of Pawtucket. .Since its organization Mr. 
Robliins has been secretary of the company. 
In July, 1896, the firm of Watjen & Robbins 
was dis.solved, and Mr. Robbins became the 
manager and financier of the Home Building 
Company, and carries on the building loan busi- 
ness developed by the firm. Mr. Rolibins is an 
alert, active business man, and is thoroughly 
informed in regard to all the intricate details of 
the building loan business. In politics he is a 
Republican. He is a member of the Plea.sant 
\'iew Baptist church. He belongs to Superior 
Lodge, No. 35, I. O. O. F., Central Falls. 

Mr. Robbins' grandfather, Isaac Watt Rob- 
bins, was a merchant in Providence, R. I. His 
uncle. Rev. Austin Robbins, who was born in 
Thompson, Conn., in 1S12, and died in Ivast 
Killingly. Conn., July 14, 1873, was a promi- 
nent Baptist minister, founded a church at 
I'xbridge, Ma.ss., and one at Biddeford, .Me., 
and preached for 51 years. 

Oct. 25, 1883, Mr. Robbins was married to 
Mary Elizabeth Miller of Lonsdale, and they 
have had two children, Grace Miller, b. Oct. 2, 
1893, d. July 28, 1894, and Gertrude Miller, b. 
Feb. 13, iSijfi. 

ROBINSON, Thomas, second chilil of Uib 
Ham and lilizalteth (Dunston) Robin.son, was 
born in Salford, near Manchester, England, 
July 27, 1820, came to this country in 1841, 
and settled at Pawtucket, R. I., where he has 
since resided. Mr. Robinson's 0]>portunit\' for 
obtaining an early education was limited. When 
a little over seven years of age he went to work 
in a mill, where he remained until he was 13 
years old. Then he went to night .school for 
one \ear, after which he was apprenticed for 
seven years to Joseph Thacker, an iron and 
brass founder at Ashton-under-Lyne, Lanca- 
shire. 

On the exjiiration of his term of indenture, 
l)eing possessed of a thorough knowledge of the 
moulder's art, he determined to trv his fortunes 



424 



I LI, r ST rati; I) history of pawttckI'T 



in a new field, and came to Fawtucket. He 
first worked as a moulder in an old foundry that 
stood on the site now occupied by the city pipe 
j'ard. He then sought employment at some 
other occupation, and for the next two years 
devoted his time to the fittiiii; u[) dI siorcs, and 
also to umbrella manufacturing. He then started 
a brass foundry, which he finally sold to Nehe- 
miah Lee, who carried on the business in 
Pawtucket for a number of Ntars. Later, in 
Providence, he worked for Louis P. Mead, and 
also for George B. Holmes, at the Phenix 
foundry, until the spring of 1846, when he 
erected his present homestead on what was 
called " Seekonk Plains." During the sununer 
of that year he worked at iMcderick Fuller's 
foundry at I'ox Point. .\ \ ear later he engaged 
himself with Amos C. Harstow. who was then 
about to undertake Corliss & Nightingale's 
foundrv work, the}- having a machine shop at 
India Puint. He remained with Mr. Parstow 
about II \'ears, and turned out several " jire- 
mium " jobs, one of which was the sample for 
the fence that surrounded the old co\-e, by 
which the A. C. P>arstow Co. secured the con- 
tract. He was also one of the organizers of the 
Pawtucket Furnace Co., in 1S53. 

During all this time he had apjilied himself 
closely to study, and had remedied the deficien- 
cies of his early education. The haljils of 
study thus acquired became fixed, and when ,^7 
years old he commenced to study law and later 
was admitted to the bar. He opened an office 
in the old Franklin IJank building, and on the 
death of the late Wellington Kent succeeded to 
his business, enjoying a large and lucrative 
practice until he retired in i8<Sg. 

In politics Mr. Robinson has alwaxs been a 
Democrat ol the Jackson-Jeffersonian t>pe, 
believing that the office should .seek the man 
rather than the man the office. He held 
every office in the town, including the judgeship 
of the district and probate courts, some of 
them many years in succession, often being on 
as many as three and four tickets at a time, \et 
never solicited an office during his jiolitical ex- 
perience. He is imbued with broad and liberal 
ideas on all questions and is much intercsteil in 



])hilosophical speculation. His views on reli- 
gious subjects and his bold advocacy of them 
have involved him in many discussions and led 
to debates with the Rev. George Montgomery 
West, and later with the Rev. Messrs. Crandall 
and Grisvvold, opposing both of them in a joint 
discussion, at M>-stic Bridge, Conn., which 
lasted 4S hours. 

March 2y, 1840, he was married to Mary 
Ashton of Duckinfield, Cheshire, at Stockport, 
Ivngland, and 1)y this union there were eight 
children: John William, b. Sept. 4, 1841, d. 
Oct., 1842; Hliza, b. Jul\ 17, 1844, d. Aug. 14, 
1844; Fvlizabeth, b. Feb. 12, 1846; William 
Corbett, b. Oct. 17, 1850, d. F'eb. 12, 1853; 
Mary Eleanor, b. I-'eb. 11, 1854; Thomas Wil- 
liam, b. March 23, 1856; Alice Amelia, b. Oct. 

3, 1859- 

ROBINSON, Thomas William, attorney 
and cdunselliir-at-law, was born March 23, 1856, 
at Pawtucket, and is the sixth child of Thomas 
and Mary (Ashton) Robinson. He attended 
the public schools of Pawtucket and was gradu- 
ated from the Bryant & Stratton Business 
College, Providence, in 1874. For the two 
succeeding years he read law in the office of 
Blodgett «& Clapp, and then took a course at the 
Boston University Law School, from which he 
was graduated in 1877. In 1878 he associated 
with his father in the practice of law and located 
in the ( Ud l'"ranklin l^ank building, and now 
has an oflice in Cole's block on Main street, 
where he conducts his practice alone, his lather 
having retired in 1889. 

In politics Mr. Robinson is a Democrat. In 
1885 he was a member of the Pawtucket town 
council and represented the city in the General 
Assembly for the years 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890, 
1892, 1893; and was solicitor for the town of 
Lincoln in 1892 and 1893. As a residt of his 
])ublic life and wide experience Mr. Robinson is 
recognized as an able lawyer and has an exten- 
sive and varied practice. 

He belongs to Court Citv of Pawtucket, 
Ancient Order of I'oresters, and Pro\-itIence 
Lodge, No. 14, B. P. O. V.. Nov. 3, 1881, he 
was married to Mary I{. Tetlow, of Provi- 
dence, by which union there are two children : 



15 1 (J GRAPHICS. 



425 



],illi:iii H., b. Oct. f^o, iSS;, ; Marion, b. Oct. 
27, iS85. 

ROGERS, Carlos Ladd, cki)Uty sheriff, was 
born Dec. 22, 1844, in Stanstead, Quebec, 
Canada, aiul is the eighth child of Philij) and 
Louisa (Moullon) Rogers. He alternated 
between attending school and working on his 
father's farm until he was iS years old. He 
then spent five or six years in the state of Ver- 
mont and in 1867 came to Pawtucket, where he 
secured a situation as lumber inspector, which 
he retaiued until 1876, when with Julius C. 
Rhodes, he established a hardware and house 
furnishing business at 13 and 15 North Main 
street. In 1877 Mr. Rhodes retired and Mr. 
Rogers conducteil the business alone until 1883, 
when he engaged in the auctioneering and gen- 
eral collecting business, his present occupations. 
March 12, 1889, he was appointed deputy sheriff, 
which pcsition he now holds. He is considered 
an independent in politics. He belongs to 
Pawtucket Council, No. 614, American Legion 
of Honor, Pawtucket Lodge, No. i, A. O. U. 
W., and New England Order of Protection. 
He has occupied the offices of sealer of weights 
and measures and of town sergeant. Jan. 28, 
1872, he was married to Clara E., daughter of 
the late Smith Grant, of Central Falls, by which 
union there are three children ; Mary Louise, 
Clara Elsie and Ada. 

ROUNDS, Horatio M., .son of Eron H. and 
Adeline (Davis) Rounds, was born in 1826 at 
Attleboro, Mass., where he alternatelj^ attended 
school and worked on a farm until he was 18 
years old. In Seekonk he learned the wheel- 
wright trade and worked at it in Foxboro for a 
year. In 1847 he came to Pawtucket and was 
employed by G. W. Everett & Co., carriage 
builders, where he remained for five j-ears. 
From 1852 to 1854 he worked for R. Bliss & 
Co. He then .started in business for himself 
at his present location. No. i Church street. 
His carriages and vehicles have brought him a 
reputation for thorough workmanship and his 
business has prospered. In politics he is a 
Republican. He attends Park Place church. 
He belongs to Enterprise Lodge, I. O. O. F. 
In 1 85 1 he was married to Jane A. Bruce of 



Attleboro, b\' which union there are three chil- 
dren : Ivlmira 1). and Ivldora B. (twins), and 
Annie B. 

The Rounds faniil\ originated in England, 
but (or many generations have lived in Attle- 
boro, where the grandfather and father of 
Horatio were l)orn and lived. 

"THE ROUSHANIERE," a family and 
transient hotel, is located on Maple street near 
Main street, Pawtucket, and is patronized by 
those who like home comforts. The hotel is 
conducted by Mrs. M. E. White who personally 
supervises the establishment. It has 60 guest 
chambers and is operated on the American 
plan. Rates, $1.25 per day ; by the week, $6.50. 
Its location is in the central part of the city and 
is convenient to the railroad station and to the 
theatres. 

ROWBOTHAM, Robert William, was born 
March 28, 1867, in Boston, Mass. His parents 
removed to Valley Falls and later to Pawtucket, 
where he attended the public schools until he 
was 16 jears old, when he went into the employ 
of N. P. Hicks, manufacturer of ring travelers. 
Later he worked for George H. Fuller, and 
subsequently worked for the Linton Paper Co. 
and the American File Co., respectively. He 
learned the plumbing trade with the I'nion 
vSteam & Gas Pipe Co. He was employed at 
his trade by the Richmond Paper Co. He then 
entered the employ of George H. Fuller & Son, 
where he remained until 1895, when in connec- 
tion with his brother, Everett John, he started 
the business of nickel plating, under the name 
of the Pawtucket Nickel Plating Co., with 
works in the Tingley building at the corner of 
Olive and Broad streets. The plant is well 
equipped and has facilities to do all kinds of 
nickel plating, brass and iron fini.shing, and is 
the only establishment of its kind in this vicinity. 
In politics Mr. Rowbotham is independent. He 
is a member of the Congregational church, 
and belon.gs to the Knights of Pythias. Sept. 
18, 1890, he was married to Elizabeth Hynes, 
of Pawtucket, by which union there is one 
child. Ivverett Leroy. His father was born in 
Manchester, Eng., March 12, 1833, and died 
Dec. 9, 1892. His mother is living. 



426 



I IJ.rSTk ATi;i) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



RUSSELL, Henry H., fourth child of Vau- 
iiioiis and Myria (Leonard) Russell, was l)oin 
March S, 1S40, at vSunderland, Mass., where he 
attended the public schools, and finished his 
education at the Powers Institute, Harnards- 
town, Mass. His first occujjation was on a 
farm. He then worked in dry good stores at 
Greenlield and .\inhc'rst, Mass. In 1861 he 
located in Pawtucket and conducted a hook 
and periodical store. Later he was ajipointed 
agent for the Larle express. In 1S66 he became 
interested with .\. L. Childs and conducted the 
ice business under the firm name of A. L. Childs 
& Co. Mr. Russell was the Co. The title of 
the firm was several times changed owing to 
change of partners. During all these vicissitudes 
Mr. Russell was manager of the concern. In 
1890 the busine.ss was incorporated under the 
name of the Pawtucket Ice Co., with offices at 
116 Main street, and Mr. Russell was elected 
general manager and treasurer, which positions 
he now holds. In politics he is a Republican. 
In 1885 he was married to Susan Eddj' of Provi- 
dence. Mr. Russell is descended from an old 
New England family and can trace his ancestry 
back for many generations. In Sunderland, 
Mass., stands an old house in which five gen- 
erations of the Russell family were born. 

RYAN, John M., the son of Michael and 
Catherine (Harding) Ryan, was born in Grants- 
town, Count\ Tipperary, Ireland, June 24, 
1834. He landed in New York city. May 21, 
1850, and with the exception of a short residence 
in the state of New \''ork has since resided in 
Rhode Island. In 1862 he engaged in the dr\- 
goods and grocery trade at Lonsdale, R. I. In 

1866 he bought the Amos Ballon farm at .\sli- 
ton, in the town of Cumberland, and in iSdy 
removed his residence from Lonsdale to that 
place, which he has since made his home. In 

1867 he sold out his Lonsdale business and 
built a large and commodious store at Ashton, 
where he now carries on an extensive gen- 
eral store. In 1883 he built the new store 
which he now occupies. Mr. Ryan's education 
was obtained in private and public schools in 
Ireland. In religion he is a Roman Catholic. 
He has been trustee of St. Joseph's Catholic 



W«K # 




church for 15 years and gave the laiul n])cin 
which the church edifice stands. He owns a 
large amount of real estate. Mr. Ryan is a 
Democrat, and has taken a leading part in 
Cumberland town politics. He was elected a 
member of the town council in 1887, 1888, 1890, 
and 1 89 1, and was trustee of Ashton public 
school in 1885 and again in 1889. He repre- 
sented the town of Cumberland as state .senator 
in the Rhode Island General As.sembly in 1893 
and 1894. In 1854 he was married to Mary 
h'inn, and they have had six children, four of 
whom are living: Michael (deceased), John P., 
(deceased), Katie, I{lizabeth, Minnie, and Josie. 
St. GERMAIN, N. Edouard Ponton de, 
n. D., fourth child of P.enoit and I'sther Ponton 
de vSt. Germain, was born July 3, 1856, in the 
Province of Quebec where he received his earlj- 
schooling. In 1872 he came to Pawtucket and 
found employment for sometime with John Ken- 
yon, manufacturer of laces; and then, in iSSo, 
he went to Paris, France, where he studied 
medicine and pharmacy. In 1887 he returned 
lo Pawtucket, and after passing an examination 
before the state board of pharmacy, opened a 
drug store and office at 68 Broad street. In Jul\-. 
1895, he moved to his present quarters on Rail- 




HENRY A. STEAR^4S 
-PRESIDENT AND SUPERINTENDENT UNION WADDING CO. LIEUTEN 



VERNOR RHODE ISLAND 1890-1: 



BIOGR AI'H I 1-:S. 



427 



road avenue, near Broad street. His store is 
neatly appointed, is well stocked and is patron- 
ized l)y the high-class trade. 

In jiolitics Dr. St. Germain is a Democrat. 
He is a niendier of the Improved Order of Red 
Men, the Knights of Pythias, the Elks, and the 
R. I. Pharmaceutical Association. May 15, 
iSyj, he was married to Iphygenie LaSalle, b\' 
which union there was one child, Martin Louis 
Edouard, b. Dec. 8, 1894. He had been married 
twice before, liut from these unions there were 
no children. Dr. St. Germain is descended from 
an old French Canadian family, and his father 
was the son of Peter Ponton de St. Germain, 
who was condemned to death by the English 
government for the prominent ])art he took in 
the rebellion against English rule in 1836, but 
was ultimately pardoned by the governor. His 
mother's ancestors were among the early settlers 
of the Province of Quebec. 

SAWYER, John D., fourth child of Freeman 
John and Augusta Miriam (Pitcher) Sawyer, 
was born Aug. 31, 1867, at Canton, Ma.ss., 
where he attended school until he was 14 years 
old. He obtained employment in a hardware 
.store in Boston, Mass., and learned the busi- 
ness. vSubsequently he was a traveling salesman 
for a Providence hardware house. In 1888 he 
located in Pawtucket and opened a hardware 
store at his present location, 296 Main .street, 
where he conducts a flourishing business. Mr. 
Sawyer is descended on both sides from New 
England ancestors. His grandfather, John 
Sawyer, was born in Lyne, N. H., in 1806, 
where he carried on the business of a wheel- 
wright until he died in 1894. 

SAYLES family of Rhode Island is in lineal 
descent from John Sajles, who, tradition claims, 
came from lingland to Providence in 1645, in 
company with two brothers named Richard and 
Thomas. He settled in Providence and married 
Mary, daughter of Roger and Mary Williams, 
and became distinguished in the affairs of both 
town and colony. Jan. 27, 1651, he made his 
first purcha.se of real estate, buying a house and 
lot from John Throckmorton. The following 
year he purchased land near West river from 
Ralph Earle. On Feb. 19, 1665, he had lot 24 



in the division of lands, and again on May 24, 
1675, he drew lot 18. Besides these his father- 
in-law, Roger Williams, gave him a thirteenth 
interest in an island called Vineyard of Paw- 
tuxet. which he sold to Stephen Arnold, Jan. 
24, 1670. He was admitted a freeman in 1655, 
and was successively assistant, commissioner, 
town clerk, warden, town treasurer, member of 
the town council, and in 1669, 167 1 to 1674, 
and 1676 to 1678 was a deputy. On May 7, 
1677, (styled John Sayles, Sr.) he was fined 
20s. for not attending the grand jury. He was 
born in 1633 and died in 1681, and is buried 
with his wife and son-in-law, William Greene, 
in the F^aston burial ground, Middlelown, R. I., 
near Sachuest beach. 

Besides the children named below it is 
believed that he had a daughter Deborah : 
Mary, b. July 11, 1652, married, fir.st, Dec. 17, 
1674, William Cxreene ; second, Oct. 12, 1680, 
John Holmes; shed. 1717. John, b. .\ug. 17, 
1654, d. Aug. 2, 1727. Isabel, d. 1716, m. 
twice, first, John Tillinghast : .second, Robert 
Hicks: Phebe, d. 1744, m. Job Green; Eleanor, 
b. 1671, d. March 11, 1714, m. Richard Green; 
Catharine, li. 1^171, d. Feb. 21, 1751, m. William 
Olney. 

The Pawtucket branch of the .Sayles famil\- 
is descended through the second child, John 
(2), who m. Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas 
Olnej- ; she was b. Jan. 31, 1666, and d. Nov. 
2, 1699. Like his father, John accumulated 
considerable wealth and was prominent in pub- 
lic affairs. He was admitted a freeman May 3, 
1681, was deputy in 1694 and 1706, and sen-ed 
on the grand jury in 1688. Jan. 23, 1703, he 
.sold to Richard Phillips a dwelling house, barn 
and all lands and meadows at Maushapauge for 
,{,100, " only reserving forever, two poles square, 
where several graves are contained about 30 
rods west of the house." He gave his daughter 
Mar>- and her husband William Smith, a 40-foot 
lot ou the west side of the " Towne Street," 
and another lot, Jan. 29, 1722. By this will, 
which was proved Aug. 21, 1727, he made the 
following provisions for his children : Thomas, 
10 acresand /^lo ; Richard, /,'io ; Mary (Smith), 
40s ; John, the homestead farm, with dwelling 



428 



I L LUST RAT I'D HISTORY OF PAWTUC K ET. 



house, etc., 250 acres in all, including all mov- 
able goods. The gravestones to his memory 
and that of his wife ICIizabeth and son Daniel 
are still to be seen, west of the railroad track 
nearly oppo.site foot of ICarl street. Providence. 
He had five children : Mary, b. May 30, 1689, 
d. 1754, m. William Smith ; John, 1). Jan. 1,^, 1692, 
d. Sept. 16, 1777 : Richard, h. ( )ct. 24, i'i95. d. 
1775: Daniel, b. Dec. 13, 1697, d. I'"eb. 3, 169.S : 
and Thomas, b. Feb. 9, 1699, d. Nov. 9, 1754. 
The line of descent is through the third child; 

Richard (3) moved to Smithfield, R. I., 
and was married three times, finst, Nov. 24, 
1720, to Mary, daughter of Richard and Sarah 
(Mary) IMiillijis: second, Ma\- 14, 173S. to 
Alice, widow ol Daniel Arnold, and danghler of 
Maturin and Sarah Ballon, who. d. 1741 : third, 
Jan. 10, 1742, to Susannah, widow of John 
Inman and daughter of James and Susannah 
(Whitman) Ballon. Richard was a prominent 
land surveyor and laid out and surveyed gov- 
ernment and state land in Burrillville, Glocester 
and Smithfield. He was town clerk of Smith- 
field in 1 7,', I. The record shows that he deeded 
to his son Richard two and three-quarters acres 
of land on Feb. 21, 1750, and seven years 
later, on July 5, 1757, to his sons Jonathan and 
Gideon all of the farm not dispo.sed of, and on 
May 24, 1775, he sold to Caleb Aldrich, three 
acres of laiid for $100 and " one pistareen." 
The la.st two marriages were without issue. 
By the first there were six children : Daniel, 
b. Feb. 4, 1722; Richard, b. Aug. 5, 1723: 
ISR.\EL, b. March 17, 1726; FUisha. 1). .Vpril 
15, 1728; Jonathan, li. .May 12, 17,^(1: and 
Gideon, b. May 30, 17,^2. The line of descent 
is through the third son : 

Israel (4) m. Marsa Whii)i)le, who bore 
him eleven children : Richard, Essie, Elisha, 
Christopher, Royal; AiiAi), b. Oct. 10, 1760, d. 
April 17, 1S49 ; Daniel; Mary, m. Es.sie Brown; 
Roba ; Rebecca: Mercy, who m. Benjamin 
Mathewson. The line of descent is through 
the sixth child : 

Ahab (5) m. Eillis, daughter of Samuel 
•Steere, in Jamuir\-, 17S6. .She was b. Aug. 17, 
1766, d. March 9, 1854. They had eighth 
children: Azubah, b. Dec. 11, 1786, m. John 



Willing of Gloce.ster, R. I.; Lucina, b. h'eb. 
5, 1789, ni. Benjamin Bowen ; Mercx , b. .April 
13, 1792, d. July 10, 1794; Nicholas, b. Sept. 
iS, 1794, m. Asenalh Cooke; Ci..\kk, b. May 
18, 1797; Welcome, b. April 22, 1800, m. Maria 
Sayles ; I.,illis, b. Feb. 23, 1805, m. .Sabin 
Smith: and Miranda, b. May 23, 1S12. Ahal) 
was a substantial farmer oi considerable me- 
cliauical abilitx', of Glocester (now lUirrilhilk-, 
R. 1.,) was for man\- years ])resident ol the 
town council, and during the war of the revolu- 
tion served in the patriot army under General 
Sulli\an. He was eighty-eight years and six 
months old when he died. The line of descent 
is through the fifth child : 

SAYLES, Clark (6), masterbuilder and mer- 
chant, son of Ahab and Lillis (Steere) Sayles, 
was born in Glocester, (now Burrillville), R. I., 
May 18, 1797, d. Sept. 11, 1878. The Sayles 
homestead lands were situated between Pascoag 
and Chepatchet, in the line that finally in 1806, 
divided Burrillville from Glocester, leaving the 
family mansion in Burrillville. The ancestors 
of this family, on both sides, were industrious 
and honored farmers of the old type, some of 
them being F'riends and others Baptists in their 
religious convictions. Clark was educated at 
home, on the farm, and in the common schools. 
His teacher, for many \ear, was William Col- 
well, afterwards ca.shier of the Gloce.ster Fix- 
change Bank. Both at his home and in the 
Chepachet librarj- he found and eagerly read 
good books, not missing a "library day" for 
years, as testified by Mr. Blackman, the libra- 
rian. When about t8 years of age he engaged 
to work for Elias Carter, a master-builder, with 
whom he labored in Thompson, Conn., and 
finally went to the state of Georgia and worked 
in constructing the Burke County court-house. 
Returning, he assisted in building the Congre- 
gational church in Milford, Mass. Finally, he 
began as a master builder for himself ; erected 
a residence for his brother Nicholas ; again 
went to the state of Georgia, and constructed 
dwellings for planters, and completed the large 
hotel at Waynesborough. Returning from the 
South he built the meeting house in Greenville, 
Smithfield, R. L 



V 




430 



ILLUSTRATlvD MI STORY OF 1' A \VT UC K ]';T. 



In the spriiior of 1S22 he removed to Paw- 
tueket, R. I., and settled as a master builder ; 
erected houses for David Wilkinson, added a 
middle section to the First Baptist church, 
planned and erected, in i82cS, the First C(in>;re- 
gational church in Pawtucket ; Iniild a clmrch 
edifice in North Scituate, and one in Attle- 
boro, Mass. During all this time he was also 
engaged in the lumber and coal trade, being the 
first man to introduce coal into Pawtucket by 
vessels. He associated with himself in business 
Daniel Greene, and in the great financial panic 
of 1S29 the firm of Clark Sayles & Co. assumed, 
to a great disadvantage, as the issue proved, 
the business interests previously carried on 
by Mr. Greene, who had failed. Mr. Sayles 
was chosen director of the New Kngland Pacific 
Bank, of whose board of thirteen directors 
eleven failed, while Mr. Sayles stood through 
the storm. Chosen president of this bank, as 
successor to Dr. Asa Messer, Mr. Sayles stood 
at the head of the institution for seventeen years, 
and, ' ' by most remarkably skillful financiering, ' ' 
brought the bank through all its difficulties. In 
1837, closing most of his large business relations 
in Pawtucket, he again went south and engaged 
in the wholesale lumber trade for the firm of 
which he was the head, and also as agent of 
another company ; operating steam sawmills, 
one on an island at the mouth of the Altamaha 
river, and one on the Savaimah river, opposite 
the city of Savannah. After remaining south in 
the lumber trade (having his family with him 
during some of the winters) for about twenty 
years, he returned to Pawtucket. Not entering 
again largely into business for himself he 
assisted his sons, William Francis and Frederic 
Clark, in purchasing materials, and in the con- 
struction of the buildings added to their exten- 
sive Moshassuck bleachery, in the town of 
Lincoln. He was also the general superintend- 
ent in the erection of the beautiful Memorial 
Chapel in vSaylesville, near the bleacher}'. 

Politically, he was an old line W^hig and 
was finally identified with the Republican 
party, but would accept onl\- town offices, 
as his object was service rather than honor. In 
the temperance reform he held a foremost place 



from the first. Near 1S32 he united with the 
Congregational church, of which he always con- 
tinued, an active and consistent member. He 
early won for himself, and always maintained 
a high and honorable place in society, and was 
deservcdlx esteemed in his ripe years. 

He married, Dec. 25, 1822, Mary Ann, 
daughter of Paris Olney, of vScituate, R. I. 
vShe was a member of the Congregational 
church, and noted for her strength of mind, 
gentleness of spirit, soundness of judgment, 
decision of character, and the purity of her 
Chri.stian life. She d. Sept. 11, 1878, in her 
seventy-sixth year. Mr. Sa>-les had five child- 
ren : Wiij.i.VM F'r.\ncis, Minerva Winsor (d. 
young), Charles Ahab (d. young), Mary Ann 
(d. young), and Frkderic Ci..vkk. 

SAYLES, Frederic Clark, the youngest 
son of Clark and Mary Ann (Olne)) vSayles, 
married Deborah Cook, daughter of Robert and 
Deborah (Cook) Wilcox of Pawtucket, Oct. 16, 
1861, who w^as b. Nov. 26, 1841, and d. Nov. 
25, 1895. They had five children: Caroline 
Minerva, b. Jan. 16, 1866; F'rederic Clark, Jr., 
b. Aug. 21, 1868; Benjamin Paris, b. Oct. 31, 
1S71, d. May 30, 1873; Robert Wilcox, b. Jan. 
29, 1878 ; and Deborah Wilcox, b. Nov. 17, 
1880. Mr. Sayles is descended through six 
straight lines from Roger Williams, twice on his 
father's side and four times on his mother's side. 
He is also a direct descendant from Joseph Jenks, 
the first settler of Pawtucket, through his oldest 
son. Gov. Joseph Jenks. Mr. Sayles was born 
in Pawtucket, and is now the senior partner in 
the extensive Sayles bleacheries. 

In 1840 he accompanied his father to 
Georgia and received his earlier education in 
the best schools of Savannah. On his return, 
he attended the schools at Pawtucket, the Uni- 
versity Grammar School of Providence, and was 
graduated with honor in 1853 from the Provi- 
dence Conference Seminary of Ea.st Greenwich, 
R. I. In July following, in his i8th year, he 
commenced his business career in his brother's 
(William F'. Sayles) Mo.sliassuck Bleacher}- at 
5 shilling per day, sweeping the rooms, invoic- 
ing goods, and performing any other services 
required. For ten years he labored diligentlj-, 



B I O G R A P H I F< S . 



431 



acquiring a thorough knowledge of the mechan- 
ism used aud the methods employed in every 
department of the works. In January, 1863, his 
diligence and fidelity was rewarded by an inter- 
est in the business. He was admitted a partner 
with his brother under the firm name of W. 
F. iS: F. C. Sayles, with entire charge of the 
local affairs and the details of operating the 
extensive works. 

The Sayles bleacheries are probably the 
largest of their kind in the world. They use 
the most improved methods for bleaching sheet- 
ings, shirtings, lawns, and everj' variety of mus- 
lins, and are capable of turning out more than 50 
tons of finished goods daily. In 186S the busi- 
ness increased to such an extent that it was 
found necessary to make a decided enlargement, 
the result of which was the erection of the New 
Bleacher}' so called. Mr. F. C. Sa\les made 
the plans and had the entire super\-ision of this 
work. The finishing of lawns and nainsooks, 
the finer class of cotton goods, had never been 
attempted in this country until taken hold of by 
Mr. Sayles as a separate branch of the business 
at the New Bleachery. 

The Glenlyon Dye Works and the Lorraine 
Worsted Mills were both built under the super- 
vision of Mr. F. C. Sayles. The very best 
skilled foremen for each department were en- 
gaged from abroad by him before any movement 
was made to build the works, so that success 
was assured from the beginning. 

The various buildings of the bleachery and 
allied plants cover an area of about 30 acres. 
To the water power of the Moshassuck river 
has been added 14 steam engines, two of them 
being Corliss engines of about 200 horse-pow-er 
each, and they consume annually more than 
12000 tons of coal. Over 1200 operatives are 
regularly employed. The village of Saylesville, 
with its beautiful memorial church, its railroad, 
its well-kept houses and streets, owes its growth 
and development to the energy, good taste, and 
public spirit of William F". and Frederic C. 
Sayles, and is a lasting monument to their 
liberality. 

Mr. Sayles has traveled extensivelj- in 
luirope, visiting all the principal cities in Eng- 



land, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, 
Austria, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Rus- 
sia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Itah', and 
on this continent, has been to Mexico and the 
Pacific coast. 

The fine family residence of Mr. Sayles, 
built in 1868, with its large and tastefully 
arranged grounds, graces the eastern slope of 
the heights south of Pawtucket, which it over- 
looks, and is on the east side of East a\enue, 
near the line of the city of Providence. Tlie 
estate is known as Bryn Mawr. 

Besides his interest in the Sayles bleacheries, 
Mr. Sayles is connected wdth various interests 
and enterprises. He is president of the follow- 
ing corporations: River Spinning Co., of Woon- 
socket, R. I., the Moshassuck Valley Railroad, 
the Crefeld Electrical Works, Saylesville, 
Narragansett Knitting Co., Pawtucket; and is a 
director in the Merchants National Bank, Prov- 
idence, vSlater National Bank, Pawtucket, 
Mathieson Alkali Works, Saltville, Va., Woon- 
socket Ruliber Co., Woonsocket. He is a 
trustee of the Franklin vSavings Bank of Paw- 
tucket, and is concerned in other corporations. 
He was the first president of the Pawtucket 
Bu.siness Men's Association, holding that office 
four years. He has held a commission on the 
staff of the Pawtucket Light Guard, with the 
rank of major. 

By the special encouragement and aid of 
Sayles brothers, W. F. and F. C, there was 
organized in Saylesville, June 2, 1880, the 
Memorial Chapel Congregational church, of 
twenty-five constituent members. The Sabbath 
school held there registered, during 1896, one 
hundred and eighty-six members, with an 
average attendance of one hundred and twenty- 
three. At the hands of the Sayles brothers, 
public enterprises and benevolent causes always 
met with hearty encouragement and generous 
support. Mr. Sayles was the first mayor of the 
city of Pawtucket, and served for two years, 1886 
and 1887. His influence and untiring energy 
were plainly discernible on the successful launch- 
ing of the new city government. 

SAYLES, Hon. William Francis, of the 
seventh generation of the familv, was one of the 



43^ 



I L LUST RAT I'D HISTORY O 1- PAWTUCKET. 



leading niaiuifacturers in Rhode Island during 
tlie middle years of the present centurs . He 
was born in Pawtucket, R. I., Se]H. 21, 1S24. 
As an inheritance from his ancestors William F. 
Sayles had the sterling (lualities of character 
that made him a marked and successful man. 
He attended the Fruit Hill Classical Institute 
of North Providence, where the Hon. Amos 
Perry was then principal. He then went to the 
>Seekonk Classical vSchool, and completed his 
education at Phillips Academy, .\ndover, Mass., 
where he spent two years. In 1842, when 16 
years of age, he became bookkeeper for the 
commercial house of Shaw & Earle of Provi- 
dence, and in this way earned the money for his 
expenses at Andover. After leaving that insti- 
tution he engaged permanently with Shaw & 
ICarle, worked in his old position as bookkeeper, 
but was soon promoted to be chief salesman and 
financial manager. 

After this business experience Mr. .Sayles 
decided to engage in manufacturing on his own 
account. He had little capital and no experi- 
ence whatever, but in 1847 he purchased the 
Pimbley printworks on the Moshassuck river, 
two miles northwestward from Pawtucket falls, 
and began the bleaching of cotton cloth. The 
premises were small, but the first year he was 
able to turn out about a ton of cloth a day, and 
by 1854 this had increased to four tons daily. 
B3' close application and a study of his business 
Mr. Sayles was enabled to so improve the 
methods of the industry that his goods acquired 
a high reputation. June, 1854, the works were 
burned, but were immediately rebuilt, and the 
daily product when they resumed operations in 
1855 was six tons a day. From that time 
onward the works were constantly enlarged, 
until the buildings of every kind utilized in the 
industry cover a space of about thirty acres. 
The structures are chiefly of bi'ick. The pm- 
duction has increa.sed from one ton (lail\- to 40 
tons, or 325,000 yards of fini.shed goods dail\'. 
The establishment is now the largest of its kind 
in the world and eight hundred operatives arc 
employed. It I;as always been known as 
the Mosha.ssuck Uleachery. The business in- 
creased so rapidly that in iS6f) Mr. Sayles 



admitted his brf)ther, Frederic Clark Sayles, as 
a ])artner, and the firm was thereafter known as 
W. F. & h'. C. vSayles. In 1877 the firm built 
the Mo.shassuck Valley Railroad, which extends 
(roni the works to a junction at Woodlawn with 
the main line between Providence and Paw- 
tucket, a distance of about two miles, and 
furnishes the bleachery and village with un- 
equalled transportation facilities. The works 
are operated by a large number of .steam engines, 
many of them of great power, and the consump- 
tion of coal for power, heating and lighting is 
over 17,000 tons annualh". 

Very much of the success of the bleachery 
is no doubt due to the quality of the water used, 
which is largely obtained from the Moshassuck 
river. As there are no manufacturing estab- 
lishments on the stream above Saylesville the 
water is uncontaminated, clear and pellucid and 
has excellent bleaching properties. Within a 
few years past, with the great increase in the 
size of the bleachery, an additional supply was 
required. This has been obtained from a large 
number of dri\en or artesian wells, that now 
furnish a large volume of clear water. The 
works and village are picturesquely situated 
overlooking the vallej' of the Moshassuck, and 
Scott's pond, a beautiful sheet of water, lies just 
across the main highwaj' from the bleachery. 

As the business increased a village gradu- 
ally grew up around the works, to which the 
name Saylesville was given. Mr. Sayles e.stab- 
li.shed a day school for the children of his 
employees very soon after starting his business, 
and in i860 he also started a Sunday school, of 
which he was for more than a score of jears the 
sn])erintendent. The brothers erected in 1873, 
on high land overlooking the \illage and works, 
a beautiful granite church, as a memorial to 
their deceased children, and for the use of the 
connnunity as a religious gathering place. In 
1877 a tower was added by Mr. Sayles as a 
memorial to his son William Clark Sayles. 
The chajjel seats two hundred jiersons. .Since 
June 2, 18S0, it has been the house of worship 
of the Memorial Chapel Congregational church. 
The edifice was constructed under the direction 
of Clark Sayles, the father of the Sayles brothers. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



433 



The Lorraine mills, on the Moshassuck 
river, Mineral Spring avenue, Pawtucket, en- 
gaged in the manufacture of fine worsted and 
cotton dress goods, have been owned and oper- 
ated by W. F. & F. C. Sayles since 1882 under 
the name of the Lorraine Manufacturing Co. 
During this period they have been developed 
and brought to a high degree of prosperity, the 
mills have been greatly enlarged, the product 
has increased in volume five times, and the 
number of employees has grown from 200 to 
1,100. North of the bleachery, but on the 
same extensive premises at Saylesville, is the 
Glenlyon Dye Works, with a large plant which 
is operated in connection with the bleachery. 
Still further south is a pumping station and 
filtration tanks where the water from the 
bleachery and dyeworks is purified before it is 
allowed to flow back into the river. The Lor- 
raine mills are about a mile and a half south of 
Sajdesville, in an almost .straight line, and are 
connected by the Mo.shassuck Valley Railroad, 
which runs along the bank of the old channel of 
the Blackstone canal, now utilized as the bed of 
the Moshassuck river. The buildings of the 
bleachery, the dyeworks, and the filtration plant 
are all stretched along the banks of the river 
and the line of the railroad, and are stirrounded 
by ample grounds. 

On commencement da\-, June, 1878, W. F. 
Sayles gave to Brown University, Providence, 
$50,000 for the erection of a hall to the memory 
of his son, William Clark vSayles, who died 
Feb. 13, 1876, while a student. This sum he 
afterward increased to $100,000, and the money 
was used to build the beautiful Sayles Me- 
morial Hall, so well known as the place of the 
popular university lectures, and which was 
dedicated June 4, 188 1. 

W. F. Sayles, as this record shows, was a 
man of enterprise and character, but e\-eii these 
details do not tell the full story of his life. He 
was a skilled financier, and the success of the 
great business was mainly due to his prudent 
and skillful pilotage. In the financial and liusi- 
ness community he held man\- iK)sitions of trust 
and responsibilit>-. He was i)resident of the 
Slater National Hank ot Pawtucket and also a 



director in the Third National Bank of Provi- 
dence ; president of the Slater Cotton Co., of 
Pawtucket, which enterprise he originated ; 
vice-president of the Ponemah mills, Taftville, 
Comi.; was a director in mills in Massachu.setts 
and Connecticut ; president of the Pawtucket 
Free Library for many years ; one of the board 
of trustees of Brown Univer.sity ; represented the 
town of Pawtucket in the state senate in 1875-6; 
was for a time lieutenant-colonel of the Paw- 
tucket Light Guard, and was active in various 
lines of life. He and his familj- were members 
of the Central Congregational church of Provi- 
dence. 

He was married Oct. 30, 1849, to Mary Wil- 
kinson Fessenden, daughter of the Hon. Benjamin 
Fessenden of Valley Falls. Six children were 
born to them, of whom two are now living, Mary, 
who married Roscoe S. Washburn of Providence, 
and Frank Arthur Sayles, who has succeeded 
his father in the management of the business. 
In 1870-2 Mr. Sayles erected a beautiful man- 
sion on East avenue, on elevated land overlook- 
ing Pawtucket from the south. This residence 
with its park-like grounds is like a well-kept 
English estate. It is now the residence of 
Frank A. Sayles. W. F. Sayles died May 7, 
1894, full of j'ears and honors, much lamented 
by his family and the community. 

By his will Mr. Sayles directed that $200,- 
000 be devoted to the construction and main- 
tenance of a memorial to his wife and daughter. 
To carry out his bequest, the Jacob Dunnell 
residence and estate on Prospect street, Paw- 
tucket was purchased, but the precise form of 
the memorial has not as yet been decided upon. 
A bequest of $100,000 was aLso made by Mr. 
Sayles for the erection of a building for a free 
public library for Pawtucket, but this was left 
absolutely to the discretion and judgment of 
his son Frank A. Sayles, the will providing that 
the latter must approve of the bequest in writing 
before it should go into effect. 

The various properties that William F. 
vSayles so successfully projected and developed, 
have been reorganized into three separate con- 
cerns. He was the sole owner of what has lonsi 



434 



ILLUSTR ATl'I) HISTORY OF PAWTUC K IvT. 



been known as the " old bleachery," while the 
" new bleachery " erected in 1.S66, was the 
property of \V. V. ^ I". C. Sa\ks, wliicli was 
then first formed. l''rank A. inherilcd his 
father's interests in the hleacheries. Late in 
1896 arrangements were finally consummated liy 
which he purchased his uncle's interest in the 
" new bleachery," the Glenlyon Dye Works, 
the Lorraine mills, and the Crefeld mills. West- 
erly, R. I. 

Frank A., now the sole owner of the bleach- 
cries, will continue to conduct them under the 
old name of the " Sayles Bleacheries." He has 
been in full control since his father's death, and 
under his management the great concern has 
been materially increased and five new build- 
ings have been erected. 

The dye works has been formed into a cor- 
poration under the name of the Glenlyon Dye 
Works of Pawtucket, the incorporators of which 
are Frank A. Sayles, Charles O. Reed, and 
Maurice K. Washburn. Mr. Sayles is presi- 
dent, and Mr. Reed treasurer and secretary. 
The capital stock of this corporation is $400,000. 

The Lorraine mills and the Crefeld mills 
were organized into a corporation under the 
name of the Lorraine Manufacturing Co., with 
a capital stock of $1,250,000. The incorpora- 
tors were Frank A. Sayles, Charles O. Reed 
and James R. MacColl. Mr. Sayles is ahso presi- 
dent of this corporation and Mr. MacColl treas- 
urer and agent. These mills produce fine 
worsted, cotton and silk dress goods and a 
large variety of other fabrics. Mr. Sayles is 
the controlling owner in these two corporations, 
and the dominant spirit in their management. 



SAYLES, William R., .son of Willard and 
Marcy (Arnold) .Sayles, was born Nov. 11, 
iS;,7, at Man\ille, R. I., where he attended the 
jmblic schools until he was 14 years old. He 
then went to li\'e with his brother, a lawyer at 
Windsor Locks, Coiui. Later on he entered 
the W'illiston .Seniinar\-, Ivast Ham]iton, Mass., 
and sul)se(inentl\' studied law. He entered 
Brown Ihiiversity in i860 and was graduated in 
1S64. Upon the death of his brother, who died 
in New York in 1863, he came to Pawtucket, 
and entered the Providence County Savings 
Hank as a bookkeeper, which position he still 
fills to the satisfaction of the bank officials and 
patrons. He is trustee of the Pawtucket Public 
Library, for 18 years was its secretary and chair- 
man of its book committee, which latter position 
he now holds. He was president of the Univer- 
salist Church Society, and for many years, was 
also librarian of the Sabbath school. He was 
chairman of the committee on entertainment and 
treasurer of the Pawtucket Business Men's Asso- 
ciation. He was a member of the .school board in 
iSy2, and also served on the board for five years 
from 1886. In 1891 he closed his public labors on 
account of sickness. He was chairman of the 
committee on evening drawing schools, and did 
much to bring that undertaking to the high 
grade of perfection it now enjoys. He was also 
an earnest advocate of the sy.stem of kindergar- 
ten instruction and gave his influence in that 
direction. 

In 1872 he was married to Amelia L. Adams, 
daughter of Abraham Adams, of Pawtucket, by 
which union there are three children : George 
W., Ella Harding, and William R., Jr. 



i' 






FREDERICK A. PATT, 



SANFORD R. PIERCE. 

r TAILOR IN PAWTUCKFT FOR 42 YEARS. 





ALFRED W. QUIGG, 



i CO.. PROVIDEN 



HORATIO M. ROUNDS, 

CARRIAGE MANUFACTURER. 





ROBERT W. ROWaOTHAM, 
OF THE PAWTUCKET NICKEL PLATINO CO. 



N. EDOUARD PONTON DE ST. GERMAIN, 
REGISTERED PHARMACIST AND PHYSICIAN. 



4.V> 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT. 



SCHILLER, Hector, first child of Edward 
and Angeleque (Dcincrs) Schiller, was born 
Aug. 2, 1850, in Maneville, P.Q., Canada, where 
he attended the public schools until he was i 7 
\ears old. In 1S67 he came to America and 
Ininul emi)!o\ nienl in the mill at Xatick, K. I. 
He then engaged in the grocery business. In 
1872 he removed to Central Falls and went into 
the employ of Fournier brothers, grocers and 
general provision dealers. In the meanwhile 
he attended Scholfield's Commercial College, 
Providence. Upon the dissolution of the firm 
of Fournier I'rotliers in 1873, he formed a part- 
nership with John M. Fournier under the firm 
name of I'ouniicr ^: Schiller and carried on the 
grocery and provision business. In 1883 a 
bakery and preserving and pickling departments 
were added. Sub.sequently the business was 
divided, Mr. ,SchilIer taking the grocery and 
provision department, which he still conducts 
at 517 Broad street, and it is the largest estali- 
lishment of its kind in Central Falls. 

In politics he is a Republican. He was 
one of the firewards and president of the board 
of the Central I'alls fire di.strict. He was a 
member of the Lincoln town council from 1891 
until the incorporation of the city of Central 




HECrOR SCHILLER, 

GROCER, CENTRAL FALLS. 



Falls, w'hen he was elected an alderman, and 
served for two terms. A])ril 15. 1867, he was 
married to Matine Papeusau, of Natick, by 
wliich union there are three children: Rosanna, 
1). Jul\', 1872: Oscar, b. April, 1883; Oadaloid, 
1). Sept. 1887. 

SCHOLZE, William F., was born Oct. 21, 
1856, in Reichenan, Saxony, Germany, and is 
the son of John G. and Johanna R. Scholtze. 
He was educated in the schools of Reichenan 
and afterwards fini.shed his eduation in Zittan 
College. He then went to the dyeing establish- 
ment of Friedrich & Lee to learn the business 
under the direction of Smith Dufton, after which 
he served in the German army. On his return 
home he took up his business again, and in 1878 
he became manager of the dyeing and finishing 
of piece goods for Jaeger & Sons, in Ash, Bohe- 
mia, where he stayed for two years. In May, 
1880, he came to America and was engaged on 
Staten Island, New York, in a dyeing and fin- 
ishing establishment as piece dyer for three 
>ears. From that position he was engaged by 
\V. P". & F. C. Sayles in 1883 as manager of the 
dveing departments of the GlenlNon Dye Works, 
which position he now holds. In politics he is 
a Republican. He attends the Sayles Memorial 
Chapel at Saylesville. In 1886 he was married 
to Carrie Astrap of Providence. R. I., the .second 
daughter of Samuel and Hannah Astrap, by 
which union there are three children : Leta M., 
William F., and Ernst A., born in Saylesville. 

John G. Scholze, the father of William F"., 
was the only son of five children and was the 
heir to the Scholze homestead. He was married 
in 1835 to the onty child of Gottlieb Pueschel, 
who was a linen manufacturer. In i860 John 
Ct. Scholze started a coal mine on the estate, 
which business he carried on until his death in 
1866. He left a widow and twelve children, of 
which William 1''. was the \oungest. 

SHEAHAN, Thomas, was born at Cden, 
County of Limerick, Ireland, in 1S59, where he 
learned the trade of a blacksmith and horse 
shoer. He came to America in 1S82 and worked 
at his trade with a Mr. Fol.som at Providence. 
In 18S7 he came to Pawtucket and opened his 
present horseshoeing establishment, at 20 Slater 



BIOGRAPHIICS. 



437 



avenue, with Thomas Kitzgerakl as a partner, 
and the business is now carried on, at the old 
stand, under the firm name of Tliomas Sheahan 
.S: Co. 

Mr, vSlieahan attends the St. Mary's Catho- 
lic church. In 1SS3 he was married to Mary 
Doherty of New York, by which union there 
are three children: Mary, b. Providence, 1886 ; 
Margaret, b. 188S; 
Jeremiah, b. 1892, 
inPawtucket. Mr. 
Sheahan's parents 
reside in Ireland, 
where his father is 
engaged in farm- 
ing. 

SHELDON, 
Henry Herbert, 
son of Pardon and 
Harriet (Collins) 
Sheldon, was bom 
July 13, 1834, in 
Providence, R. I. 
In 1 85 1 he was 
apprenticed to 
Henry Criles to 
learn the jewelry- 
trade, where he 
remained for three 
}-ears. He then 
went into the busi- 
ness with a partner 
on Page street. 
Providence, but a 
year later bought 
out his partner and 
associated himself 
with George G. 
Greene, under the 
firm name of Shel- 
don & Greene, which partnership continued 
until i860. This firm also had an office in 
New York cit\-. In 1S62 Mr. Slieldon raised 
a conipan\- called the lUirnside Zouaves, of 
which he was lieutenant -colonel. He was a 
member of the First Light Infantry from 1854 to 
1876, and is now a member of F. h. I. Veterans. 
In 1863 he was appointed to a position in the 




HENRY HERBERT SHELDON, 

PRESIDENT OF THE SHELDON BUILDING CC 



United States Treasury Department which he 
held until 1865. Upon returning he connected 
himself with a large cutlery house in Boston, 
Ihcn with one in New York city, in which he 
remained until 1874. He then returned to 
Providence and was employed by the Retort 
Gas Stove Co. as traveling salesman, and visited 
all parts of the United States and Western Eu- 
rope. In 1882 he 
invented the Shel- 
don Gas Stove, 
which he manufac- 
tured until 1885, 
having an office in 
New York. He 
then established a 
business in Paw- 
tucket, formed the 
Sheldon Building 
Co., purchased the 
Miller estate, cor- 
ner Broad and 
Main streets, and 
erected thereon the 
present Sheldon 
building. This 
company subse- 
quently purchased 
various estates, 
leased stores and 
buildings and by 
adding improve- 
ments and making 
alterations, by 
either selling or 
sub -leasing the 
premises, created 
the well-establish- 
ed and successful 
business now con- 
ducted by this company. To Mr. Sheldon's fore- 
sight and enterprise the city of Pawtucket owes 
many of its attractive business blocks. Mr. 
vSheldon has been identified with nian\- eiiter- 
pri.ses, including the Pro\-idence Cable Tramwa\- 
Company, the charter of which he obtained in 
1883, also the Pawtucket Cable Tramway Com- 
pany. In politics he is a Republican, but realiz- 



438 



ILLUSTRATlvI) HISTORY OF TAWTUCKliT. 



iiig the need of a iion-jiartisaii city govtriniKiil 
lie was a candidate for mayor in iSyd mi an 
indepentlcnt ticket, secured !)>• noiiiinatioii 
l)apers, hut was defeated. 

June 30, iS^tj, he was married to Adeline 
iMances Carpenter, of Coventry, whose parents, 
Benjamin F. and Mary C. (Waterman) Carpen- 
ter, became residents of Pawtncket in i860. 
Mr. Carpenter served both the towns of Coven- 
try and Pawtucket in the General Assembly. 
Hy this union there were three children : Grace 
Waterman. 1). .April 29, i860, d. May 3, 1882; 
Philip Collins, b. Oct. 10, 1861 ; Charles Her- 
bert, b. May 16, 1874. 

Mr. Sheldon is descended from an old New 
England family and traces his ancestr)' to John 
Sheldon, who was born in England in 1630, 
came to this country earh- in life, and was one 
of the first settlers of Providence, where he died 
in 1708. The line of descent in succeeding 
generations, from father to son, was as follows: 
Nicholas, son of John, d. 1747; Nicholas, b. 
1694, d. 1787: Nicholas, b. 1732, d. 1828; 
Nicholas, d. age 75 years ; Pardon, father of 
Henry H., b. Sept. 10, 178S, at Cranston, d. 
Dec. 30, 1 85 1, was a wholesale grain and flour 
dealer in Providence from 1822 to 1835, when 
he retired from active business, purchased a 
small farm of 40 acres, three and a half miles 
out of the cit\' of Providence, which is now a 





PHILIP C. SHELDON, 
TREASURER OF THE SHELDON aulLDING CO 



CHARLES H. SHELDON, 

SECRETARY OF THE SHELDON BUILDING CO. 

part of Edgewood. In 1S46 lie again changed 
his residence to Pawtuxet, wheri- he remained 
six years, until his death in 1S51, when his 
widow and children removed to Providence. 

SHELDON, Philip Collins, was born in 
Providence, R. I., Oct. 10, 1861. He attended 
the Pawtucket public schools, and later Mowry 
& Goff's English and Classical School, Provi- 
dence, from which he was graduated June 10, 
1880, and was the salutatorian of his class. For 
six years he was employed by the American 
Screw Co., Providence. In 1887 he joined his 
father in the real estate business, the firm name 
being H. H. &; P. C. Sheldon, with offices in 
the Sheldon building, Pawtucket. 

In politics Mr. Sheldon is a Republican and 
was elected as councilman from the third w ard 
in 1890. At the present time he is secretary of 
the Park Commission. He is a director of the 
Pawtucket Mutual Fire Insurance Co. He is a 
member of the First Baptist church, Pawtucket, 
is a junior deacon, and assistant superintendent 
of the vSabbath .school. Sept. 4, 1S89, he was 
married to Rubiena Carrie Hardwick daughter 
of Henry Hingstou and Amelia Adeline (Wis- 
well) Hardwick, in the Fourth .Street Piaptisl 
church, vSouth Boston, Mass. Hy this union 
there are two children : Marshall Hingstou, b. 
June 21, 1890; Beatrice Adelin, b. July 8, 1895. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



439 



SHELDON, Charles Herbert, son of Henry 
H. and Adeline Frances (Carpenter) Sheldon , 
was born May i6, 1874, at Pawtucket, R. I.. 
where he attended the public schools and fin- 
ished his education at the Movvry & Goff Eng- 
lish and Classical School in Providence. He is 
secretary of the Sheldon Building Co., and re- 
sides with his parents at Park Heights, Paw- 
tucket. 

SHERHAN, Albert R., second child of 
Simon P. and Hannah G. Sherman, was born 
Jan. 2_s, iS^.S, at Providence, R. I., where he 
attended the public schools. He also went to 
the academy of Jenks A. Mowry, North Provi- 
deiTce, and later took a course in mechanical 
drawing at Scholfield's Commercial College, 
Providence. He was afterwards employed by 
the A. & W. Sprague Manufacturing Co., 
Providence, as master mechanic, which position 
he held for 15 years. In 1876 he was engaged 
by the Fales & Jenks Machine Co., Pawtucket, 
as selling agent, and later became agent for the 
United States Cotton Co. and the Hope 
Thread mills, remaining in these positions 
about twelve years. In 1888 he retired from 
regular employment and went abroad, visiting 
the large manufacturing establishments of 
Europe. Since then he has devoted his time to 
making improvements in spinning and twisting 
machinery. He invented the Sherman spinning 
and twisting spindle and also perfected improve- 
ments upon the Rabbeth spinning spindle. 
These spindles are now in general use, both at 
home and abroad, and caused a revolution in 
the spinning indu.stry by their capability of 
being operated at a much higher rate of speed, 
thus ensuring much larger production of yarn at 
a less cost. 

In politics Mr. Sherman is a Democrat. 
He sened as state senator from Pawtucket in 
1889, 1890 and 1891. While a member of the 
legislature he introduced and had enacted into 
laws, measures which resulted in a mutual 
exchange of tickets between the then two exist- 
ing railroad corporations, and the reduction of 
fares from 16 to 20 coupon tickets for $1.00 
between Central Falls, Pawtucket and Provi- 
dence. 



In Aug., i860, he was married to Alma W. 
Tibbetts of Warwick, R. I., who died Nov. 17, 
1888. By this union there are two children: 
Charles E., b. 1S62. d. 1864; Albert Everett, b. 
July 14, 1870. Mr. vSherman's parents were 
born at North Kingstown, and he is a descend- 
ant of Philip .Sherman, one of the early settlers 
of Rhode Island. 

SHERMAN, Sylvester C, overseer at the 
Dexter Yarn Company, is the son of Philip D. 
and Sarah A. (Budlong) Sherman, and was 
born in 1836, at Natick, R. I., where he 
attended the public schools. When 12 years 
old he went to work in the spinning room of the 
A. & W. Sprague cotton mill, where he remained 
two years. Later he was employed at the Quid- 
nick mill, Coventrj', also operated bj- the 
Spragues, where he remained for 14 j-ears, and 
during three years of this period was overseer 
of the carding department. In 1866 he came to 
Pawtucket as overseer of the carding depart- 
ment lor the Dexter Yarn Co., which position 
he now holds. He belongs to Union Lodge, A. 
F. and A. M.; Pawtucket Royal Arch Chapter: 
Holy Sepulchre Commandery ; and Enterprise 
Lodge, I. O. O. P". His family attends the 
Park Place Congregational church. In 1851; he 
was married to Ruth G. Cornell. Mr. Sherman 
is of old New England ancestry and his family 
have been residents of Rhode Island for upwards 
of 150 years, and have lived in or near Warwick. 

SHOVE, Isaac, .secretary of the Pawtucket 
Mutual Fire Insurance Co. for nearly forty 
years, was born in Smithfield (now Woon- 
socket), R. I., Oct. 4, 1S23, son of Marvel and 
Lydia (Fish) Shove. The ancestors of the 
Shove family in this country was the Rev. 
(ieorge Shove, the third ndni.ster of Taunton, 
Mass., whose wife was Hope.still Newman, 
daughter of Rev. Samuel Newman, one of the 
founders of Rehoboth : she died in 1674: 
from them the Shoves, few in number, have 
descended. Isaac's father was a manufacturer 
at the Globe mill ; his mother died during his 
infancy, and he went to live with his grand- 
father, Josiah Shove, in Mendon (now Black- 
stone), Mass. He attended the district school, 
and about 1833 went to the boarding school of 



440 



I LIA'STRATJvI) HISTORY ()!• PAW T U C K KT. 



Thomas I"r\- in Bolton, Worcester coiuit\ , 
Mass., where he was fellow schoolmate with 
Samuel Foss, for man\- years eililor of the 
Woonsocket Patriot. At the age of 14 he 
went to live with an uncle in the town of I'al- 
m\ra, Wa\ne countv, N. V., where he worketl 
on the farm. In 1 .S46 he returned east and 
lived in vSeekonk, Mass., tmtil 1S51, when he 
came to Pawtucket, Mass., and ohtained em- 
ployment as a clerk. In 1856 lie was elected 
secretary of the Pawtucket Mutual Fire Insur- 
ance Co., which office he still fills, having held 
it for a period of over forty years. In 1857-S-9 
Mr. Shove was on the board of selectmen of 
Pawtucket, and in i860 he was appointed b>- 
Governor Banks a trial justice with jurisdiction 
over Pawtucket, Seekonk and Rehoboth. In 
1862 Pawtucket was annexed to Rhode Island, 
and he was elected town clerk and held the 
office three years. He was elected a member 
of the House of Representatives in 1865 and 
again in i866, and in 1865 he was elected b\- 
the (leneral Assembly a member of the Court 
of Magistrates, with jurisdiction over Paw- 
tucket, North Providence and Smithfield — an 
office which under different names he has held 
with the exception of two years, up to the 
present time, about thirty-four years. In- 1H74, 
when the town of North Providence was divided 
and a portion consolidated with Pawtucket, Mr. 
Shove was again elected to the General Assem- 
bly, and yet again in 1881. In 1877 and in 
[888 he was president of the town council of 
Pawtucket, subsequently served as sewer com- 
missioner, and has held various offices in town 
and city. In politics he is a Republican. 

SIDEBOTTOM, Abram Hellor, was born in 
England in i8_;7, and was the third child of 
Jonathan Smith and Mary (Andrews) Side- 
bottom. He came with his parents and grand- 
parents to this country in 1840 when three 
years old. His grandfather, Aliram vSidebottom, 
who was the fir.st calico machine printer in this 
country, was born in ICngland in 1774, and died 
at Crompton, R. I., in 1844. Abram M. attended 
the Pawtucket public schools until he was 10 
years old, when he went to work in what was 
then the John Gardner cotton mill, Central halls. 



but which isnowoneof the factories of the Stafford 
Manufacturing Co. Afterwards he went to work 
in the Dunnell jirintworks, where he continued to 
labor until iSs."!, when he started to learn the 
carriage tiimming trade with .\llen Green of 
Providence, and after eoni])leting his a[)])rentice- 
ship worked as a journeyman. In i8(«) he went 
into the carriage trimming business in company 
with Joseph Peckham, under the name of Peck- 
ham vS: Sidebottom, at tin.- corner of Co\e and 
Worcester streets, Pro\idence. A year later he 
purcha.sed his partner's interest and from that 
time conducted the business under his own 
name, at 79 Clifford street, Providence. In iSSS 
he opened a branch shop in Pawtucket, and in 
1893 removed his entire business to this city, 
where, in rear of 323 Main street, he now carries 
on a successful and growing business. Mr. 
Sidebottom is an Odd Fellow, belongs to Ivnter- 
prise Lodge and Blackstone Encampment, and 
has been treasurer of the latter organization for 
21 years. He also belongs to Pawtucket 
Assembly, No. 43, Royal Society of (xood Fel- 
lows. He was married in January, 1864, to 
Ivlizabeth Monkhouse of Pawtucket, and they 
have hail nine children : Mary Francis, mar- 
ried T. J. Kenyon ; Ida May, married Merrill 
S. Louks ; Dora (died at the age of one year) ; 
Walter: Abram J.; Elizabeth Jane, married 
Louis C. Sandhurst: Mark M.: Martha Le- 
Baron : and Margaret Ruth. 

SISSON, Charles, third child of Asa and 
Mary Ann (Peck) Sisson, was born Sept. 7, 
1847, in Coventry, R. I. He attended the public 
schools of his native town and finished his studies 
at the Friend's School, Providence. In 1866 
he was bookkeeper for \'aughan & Greene, web- 
bing manufacturers, at Hamilton, R. I. In a 
short time he had learned the business and was 
made superintendent of the works, which posi- 
tion he held until 18S3, when with Oscar A. 
Steere he established the Hope Webbing Co., 
on Sprague .street, Providence. In iScjo the 
business was incorporated and the jilant re- 
moved to Pawtucket, where a factory had been 
erected especially for its accommodation. Mr. 
Sisson was elected treasurer of the company, 
which position he now holds. 



^n 



HIOC, RAP II IKS. 



441 



Mr. Sisson served in the town council of 
North Kingstown, was president of that body in 
iSSi , and was chairman of the school connnittee 
from 1875 to 1883. He is now a member of the 
city council of Providence. In politics he is a 
Republican. He is a member of the Society of 
P'riends. Oct. 4, 1888, he married Elizabeth 
I)a\is l{yre, of Philadelphia, by which union 
there are five children : Charles P., b. Feb. 9, 
i8go : Russell Iv, b. Aug. 4, 1891 ; Hope, b. 
Jan. 21, 1893; Ruth, b. P'eb. 10, 1894: Alice, 
b. Feb. 27, 1895. 

Mr. Sisson's maternal grandfather, Perez 
Peck, b. in Rehoboth in 17S6, was one of the 
first manufacturers of cotton machiner}- in New 
England, and conducted an extensive business 
at Coventry, R. I. His father, Asa Sisson, was 
likewise a manufacturer of cotton machinery; 
he was born in Warwick. R. I., Oct. 5, 1815, 
and died Jan. 19, 1893. 

SLOCUM, William Henry, was born Oct. 
2, 1842, at Pawtucket, and is the fourth, child of 
Samuel and Betsey (Radloff) Slocum. Until 
he was 14 years old he attended the pulilic 
schools of his native city. His first eniplox- 
ment was on a farm. He then learned black- 
smithing and machine forging at the Providence 
Steam Engine Works, and worked at his trade 
until 1879, when he established himself in busi- 
ness, at his present location, 39 Bayley street, 
Pawtucket. In politics he is independent. 
During the war of the rebellion he responded to 
the call of his country in her most trying hour 
and went to the front with the 9th Rhode Island 
regiment, under Colonel Pitman, with Robert 
McCloy as captain. He belongs to Tower 
Post, G. A. R. Jan. i, 1863, he was married to 
Hannah Follett of Pawtucket, b>' which union 
there are two children: Lyman F., b. Nov. 7, 
1863 ; Charles A., b. Oct. 30, 1865. His wife 
died Jan. 28, 1878. March i, 1880, he was 
married to Mrs. Rosanna (Curran) Kennedy of 
Pawtucket. Mr. Slocum's father, Samuel, was 
a mechanic, was born at Tiverton, R. I., in 
1804, and died in New Bedford, July, 1883. 
His mother was a member of the Radloff family 
of vSeekonk, Mass., where she was born May 
24, 1S16. 



SMALES, George, was born in 1854 at 
Skelton, in Cleavland, Yorkshire, F^ngland, and 
obtained his early schooling at a church of 
England school. His first occupation was as a 
groom and coachman. Later he learned the 
trade of a stair builder. In r88i he came to 
America and located in Pawtucket. He began 
and now conducts the business of a stair builder 
and screen manufacturer, and deals in all kinds 
of newel posts, balu.sters, handrails, etc., at 78 
Pleasant street, where he does a flourishing 
trade. The Smales sliding window screen is 
considered to be the best on the market. 

Mr. Smales is a member of the Protestant 
Episcopal church. He belonged while in Eng- 
land to the 1 8th North Yorkshire Rifle Yolun- 
teers. He has been a member of Abraham 
Lincoln Lodge, Sons of St. George, since 1888, 
and has filled the offices of secretary, vice-presi- 
dent, president and past president ; and for five 
3ears has been first representative to the .state 
Grand Lodge. In 1894 he was elected to the 
office of chairman, and is trustee of the State 
(jrand Lodge. In Aug., 1895, he was elected 
to represent the vState Grand Lodge at the 
vSupreme Lodge held in New York, Oct. 1895. 
In June, 1891, he was elected captain of Abraham 
Lincoln Commandery, Uniform Sir Knights, 
Sons of St. George, which office he held for two 
years, and in Aug., 1893, was elected brigadier 
general of the first Rhode Island Brigade of the 
same branch of the order. He received his 
commission from Lieutenant General H. R. 
vSurles of Worcester, Mass., for three years. In 
January, 1896, he was re-elected to this com- 
mand, receiving his comniis,sion, Feb. i, from 
Major General John Walker of Chicago. 111. 

June, 1878, he was married to Ann Worlh- 
ington. of Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, 
England, by which union there are seven chil- 
dren : Annie, b. F"airfield, North Manchester, 
England : Ivmuia, b. Nov. 5. 1881 ; George, b. 
July II, 1884; Alice, b. July 10, 1S86 : Nellie, 
b. Aug. 23, 1887; Annie, b. Jutie 28, 1891; 
Ella. b. Oct. 10, 1893. All the children except 
the oldest were born in Central F'alls. 

SMITH, Benjamin Ford, contractor and 
builder, was born in tUocesler, R. I., Oct. 2^,, 



442 



ILLUSTRATI'I) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



1846, and was educated at the public schools 
until he attained his i6th year, when he learned 
the carpenter's trade. At the expiration of his 
apprenticeship he took a year's course at IIk' 
old Lajihani Institute, North Scituate, K. I. 
Leaving the Institute in 1.S66 he worked (or 
many contractors and builders in various parts 
of Rhode Island and acquired proficiency at his 
trade. In 1S73 he came to Pawtucket and was 
foreman with Kenyon, Drown & Co., contractors 
and builders until 187S. Upon the retirement 
of Mr. Drown in iSjS he was admitted to the 
firm, which was then conducted under the style 
of Kenyon, Whitaker & Smith. In 1881 Mr. 
Kenyon retired, when the firm became Whita- 
ker & Smith, but in iSyi Mr. Smith 
purchased Mr. Whitaker' s interest and has 
since continued the business alone. After 
Mr. Kenyon 's retirement, Whitaker & .Smith 
built the Slater and Lorraine mills and the 
Dunnell printworks in Pawtucket, the Nourse 
mill in Woon.socket, and many other buildings 
of note. Since Mr. Smith succeeded to the 
sole ownership of the business he has built 
among others the St. Joseph's parochial school 
on Walcott street and the First Methodi.st church 
on High street. The building now occupied by 
Mr. Smith at 29 to 39 Mason street was built 1)>- 
the firm in 1883, and although it is extensive it 
barely suffices to accommodate the continuallx- 
increasing business, which has grown In fi\e 
times its original proportions. Mr. .Smith takes 
contracts all over the New lingland states and 
at present he is building two large factories in 
New Bedford, Mass., namely, the new Whit- 
man and Grinnell mills. 

Mr. Smith takes an active part in local 
affairs and was a member of the school board 
for three years. He has occupied nearly every 
office in Washington Lodge, Knights of Pythias, 
and is a member of the Pawtucket Business 
Men's As.sociation. He attends the Universal- 
ist church on High street. Nov. 11, 1875, he 
was married to Georgina A. Harris of North 
Scituate, by which union there is one child, 
Mabel F., b. June 12, 1878. 

The father of Mr. vSmith was a contractor 
and builder in Burrillville, R. I., where he was 



1). in iSij, and d. there Sept., 1878. He 
married Caroline Cromwell of Charleston, South 
Carolina, and tlie\- had four children ; Hannah 
,S., b. in 1S41, in ,Sa\'annah, C.a., now the wife 
of II. .\. Potter, Pascoag, R. I.: Benjamin K., 
1). 184(1, in Glocester, R. I.; Phoebe A., b. 
1S48, in Glocester, R. I.; Clifford G., b. 1851, 
in Burrillville, R. I., d. 1S86. 

SniTH, Edmund Hubert, was born in 
Burrillville, R. I., May 27, 1849, and is a scion 
of an old family long conspicuous in that town. 
His ancestors settled in Burrillville in the vicinity 
of Tarkiln, and also in Smithfield early in the 
last centur\-. Until he was 17 years old he 
attended the public schools of his native town, 
and then for two years went to the Lapham 
Institute. W^hen he was 19 years of age he 
began work in a grocery store at Mohegan, R. 
I. He then went to Harrisville, and was a 
clerk in a store for seven j-ears. From there he 
went to Mapleville, where he opened a general 
store and continued the business for two years, 
when he sold out, returned to Harrisville and 
bought out the grocery and general store of 
Leander Sherman. Four years later he sold 
out to Wood Bros. In 1889 he came to Paw- 
tucket and purchased a half interest in C. E. 
I'reeman's grocery .store. From that time the 
business was conducted under the name of Free- 
man & vSmith until 189 1 , when Mr. Smith bought 
out Mr. Freeman's interest and since then he 
has operated the business under his own name. 
The store was at 99 to loi North Main .street 
until June 1895, when it was removed to the 
present location, Nos. 122 to 126 Exchange 
street. 

SMITH, Edward, the third child of Edward 
and Mary (Conlin) vSmith, was born in the 
County Monaghan, Ireland, May 16, 1842. His 
father was a well-to-do farmer and tilled the 
same soil that his ancestors had cultivated for 
many generations before him. He was famed 
for his love of good horses, of which he had 
many fine specimens, was a man of fine physiciue, 
standing nearly 6 feet in height, broad shoul- 
dered and muscidar, and was beloved b}- those 
who knew him for his sterling honesty and gen- 
tle disposition. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



443 



Edward attended the national schools of his 
native country until he attained his 15th 3'ear, 
when he devoted his entire time to his father's 
farm. At the expiration of two years he turned 
his steps towards the United States. In 1859 he 
arrived at Pawtucket. Shortly afterwards he 
secured employment at East Greenwich, in the 
engraving department of a calico printworks, 
where he remained for two jears. His ambition 
to learn a trade was ungratified until 1861, when 
he started as a currier in Pawtucket, and 
worked at this business for six j-ears, during 
which time by frugality he accumulated sufficient 
capital to enable him to start in business for 
himself. In 1867 he opened a general grocery 
.store, in connection with a Mr. Tierney, under 
the firm name of Tierney & Smith, on Water 
street, Pawtucket. This partnership continued 
until 1877, when Mr. Smith purchased his part- 
ner's interest and has since conducted the busi- 
ness alone, and located at his present store 13 
and 15 North Main street. Mr. Smith has con- 
ducted several other stores, has been successful, 
and is considered wealthy. He is vice-president 
of the American Brewing Co., of Boston, a 
stockholder in the Meadville Distilling Co., of 
Pennsylvania, an owner and director in the 
Alley Brewing Co., of Boston, and has been 
agent for Frank Jones of Portsmouth, N. H., for 
the past 24 years. 

From his youth up, Mr. Smith has been a 
politician. He began his active political career 
even before he left his native land. When he 
attained his majority in the United States he 
affiliated with the Democratic party and has 
ever since acted w^ith it. He has always been 
a leader, and to his counsel and management 
much of the success of the Democracy in Paw- 
tucket in the past is due. When Pawtucket 
became a city he was the first alderman elected 
from the second ward. He held the office for 
six consecutive years, 1886 to 1892, and was 
president of the board in 1890. He was again 
elected and ser\-ed during 1894. Mr. Smith 
was a delegate to the convention which in 1SS4 
nominated Mr. Cleveland for the presidency the 
first time, for whom he voted at the subsec|uent 
election. 



July 14, 1863, he was married to Ann Helen 
Fullen of Pawtucket, and by this union there 
were four children, all boys: Edward vS., b. 
May 28, 1864, d. Dec. 20, 1895; William F., 
b. April 2, 1866: John P., b. Feb. 28, 1869; 
and Joseph H., b. Jan. 11, 1874, d. Feb. 23, 
1896. William F. and John P., the two sur- 
viving sons, are in business with their father. 

SMITH, Henry Thurston, fourth child of 
Peter Carpenter and Ann ( Luther) vSmith, was 
born Sept. 10, 1855, at Warren, R. I., where he 
attended the public schools until he was 13 
years old. ITpon leaving school he went to 
work for the Gorham Manufacturing Co., and 
later engaged in business on his own account. 
He invented a method of manufacturing seam- 
less wire. In 1890 he organized the Standard 
Seamless Wire Co., of Central Falls, and became 
its superintendent, which position he stills holds. 
In politics he is a Republican. He attends the 
Universalist church. July 18, 1877, he was 
married to Elmira Jenks Perkins ,of Providence, 
b\' which union there is one child, Harold Per- 
kins, born June 11, 1879. 

SMITH, John Patrick, the third child of 
Edward and Ann Helen (F'ullen) Smith, was 
born Feb. 28, 1869, at Pawtucket. He attended 
the public schools of his native town and com- 
pleted his education at the Bryant & Stratton 
Business College, Providence. He is associated 
in business with his father, and is the active 
manager of the business. 

Mr. vSmith belongs to Court City of Paw- 
tucket, No 13, Foresters of America, to Lodge 
No. 14, Providence, Order of Elks, and to 
various social organizations. Following in the 
footsteps of his father, he has always manifested 
a great interest in local politics, and by his 
energy and abilit>' has demonstrated his right 
to leadership. 

SNOW, J. Frank, was born in Central Falls, 
R. I., in 1857, and with his parents moved to 
Pawtucket in 1S63. He attended the Paw- 
tucket juiblic and high schools. His business 
life began in the jewelry manufactories of W^il- 
liam C. Greene, and T. Quagle & Co., at Provi- 
dence. After eight years' experience he aban- 
doned the jewelry line. In 1883 he went into 



444 



lLI,rSTRAT];i) HISTORY OF I'AW TUCKET. 



business in a printing office with his brother in 
Central Falls and in 1.SS5 came to Pawtucket, 
locating on F^ast avenue. He made a specialty 
of advertising novelties and built up a prosper- 
ous business. In 1891 he with his brother 
organized the Eastern Advertising Co., of which 
he is treasurer and manager, with Iv. E. FVee- 
man, president, and E. W. Snow, also a treas- 
urer and secretary. In i.Sij^ In- niovetl lo 
larger quarters in the liridge mill. The com- 
pany is now located at 730 Central avenue in its 
own factory, which was built in the spring of 
1894, and the concern is recognized as a leader 
in advertising novelties and has an extensive 
trade throughout the United States. 

In politics Mr. Snow is a Republican. In 
1882 he was married to Mabel D. lildredge of 
East Providence, and to them one child was 
born, M. Ivstella. His first wife died in 1890, 
and he was married to E. Estella Guild of 
Pawtucket in 1892 and l)y this union there is 
one child, Marion Frances. 

The grandfather of J. Frank was engaged 
in the express and teaming business in Central 
Falls and died in that city. His father was 
born in South Dartmouth, Mass., moved to 
Central Falls, and carried on business as a 
grocer in Pawtucket, where he at present 
resides. The vSnow family is of English 
origin. 

SNOW, Robert J., was born in Providence 
in 1828, and was the oldest child of Robert T. 
and Betsey Elizabeth (Burr) Snow. He came 
to Pawtucket with his parents in 1831. His 
education he .secured mainly by his own exer- 
tions, as he worked for various persons and at 
the same time attended the public schools in 
Pawtucket. When 17 years old he was appren- 
ticed to John B. Read and learned the trade of 
a tinsmith in a shop on Main street which occu- 
pied the location where the eating house of S. 
B. Havens & Co. now is. When he became a 
journeyman he worked for a number of other 
tinsmiths. From July 16, 1850, until 1854, he 
worked for Sumner F'ifield. In 1854 he went, 
via the Isthmus of Panama, to the California 
gold fields. He dug for gold in the Gilroy Val- 
ley and in the Sierras, and met with some suc- 



cess, but not enough to satisfy him. So he 
went to San FVancisco and started in again at 
his trade. While in California lie hitched up 
the first team on tlie famous (ixerland route to 
Kansas, which carried the United States mail, 
and which met with many thrilling experiences 
in the line of stage coach robberies. In 1858 
he returned east, via Panama, to Pawtucket. 
Here he entered the employ of Cudworth, iMfield 
& Co., in the tinsmith business, and he lias 
since continued with this firm and their succes- 
sors, Cudworth, Carpenter & Fifield, and the 
E. P. Carpenter Co. For many years he has 
been the chief manager of the tinsmith depart- 
ment of the I{. P. Carpenter Co., and he is a 
silent partner in the company. He has devel- 
oped the business, which is now many times 
larger than when he first took hold of it. The 
firm manufactures all sorts of utensils from tin, 
copper and other .sheet metals, and also does 
general jobbing and contracting for tin roofing, 
and all other metal work upon buildings. 

For many years Mr. Snow was a very active 
Democrat, but always refused to accept office. 
He has been a member of the Pawtucket X'eteran 
Firemen's Association since its organization. 
He ran with the machine for many years, and 
participated in the run of the Deluge from the 
house on Water street to Exchange place. 
Providence, when the distance was made in 38 
minutes. At the big fire at that time he had a 
very narrow escape from death b)' falling walls. 
He is a member of Barney Merry Lodge of 
Masons and of Good Samaritan Lodge, No. 8, 
I. O. O. F\, in which he is now Past Noble 
Grand, Pa.st Chief Patriarch and Past High 
Priest. He belongs to the Daughters of Rebecca, 
F^ureka Lodge, No. 5, K. of P., in which he is 
a past officer. For many j^ears he was a mem- 
ber of the Pawtucket Light Guard. 

SPAULDING, George Henry, was born 
Aug. 27, 1840, in ,Siiiithfield, R. I., and is the 
third child of William W. and Miranda (Arnold) 
Spaulding. He attended the public schools of 
Lincoln, R. 1., uiilil lie was 15 years old. He 
was first employed in a grocery store, lint sul)- 
sequently learned the trade of a silversmitli. 
In 1861 he joined Company B, ist Rhode Island 





WILLKM '^. SCHOLZE, 

» GLENLVON DYE WORKS EAYLES 



SYLVESTER C. SHERMAN 





BENJAMIti F. SMlTh 

CONTRACTOR AND BUILDE 



EDMU^4D H. SMITH, 





J. FRANK SNOW, 
TREASURER EASTERN ADVERTISING CO. 



ROBERT J. SNOW, 

TINSMITH. 



446 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAW TUCKET. 



Cavalry, and was in many important battles 
during the civil war. He acted as orderly for 
Generals Sheridan, Hooker, Meade and Aber- 
cronibe and was honorably discharged Aug. ,^, 
1865. He then went to work at his trade for 
the Gorham Manufacturing Co., Providence. 
Within three years he was made foreman of the 
knife department. In 1871 he went with the 
Whitney Manufacturing Co., Attleboro, having 
charge of the knife department. In 1876 he 
opened a general provision store at 94 Hawes 
street, Central Falls. In 1887, in conjunction 
with his two brothers, he established the Central 
Falls Ice Co. Sub-sequentlj' he purchased the 
interest of his partners and now conducts the 
business alone at 94 Hawes street, Central Falls. 

In politics he is a Republican ; has been 
one of the firewards, and at the present time is 
a member of the Central Falls city council. He 
attends the High street Universalist church. 
He is a member of the R. vS. of G. F., and 
Ballou Post, G. A. R. Sept. 24, 1874, he was 
married to Abbie W. Thayer, of Woonsocket, 
by which union there are two children : Walter 
T., b. Sept. 9, 1877; Bessie L., b. Sept. 5, 1880. 
Mr. Spaulding comes of an old New England 
family. His mother was b. Oct. p,i. 1815: his 
father was b. 1S08, d. Feb. 22, 1850, at vSmith- 
field. 

SPENCER, Charles L., si.Ktli child of Charles 
and Lucy (Dewey) vSpencer, was born June 12, 
1829, at Windsor, Conn., where he attended the 
public schools until he was 16 j-ears old. His 
first employment was on his father's farm. In 
1850 he was employed as a switchman on the 
Providence and Worcester railroad. He con- 
tinued in the emploj' of this railroad for some 
thirty years. In 1880 he was appointed man- 
ager of the H. D. Spencer coal and wood busi- 
ness at Central Falls. In 1892 he opened on 
his own account, coal and wood yards on the 
corner of Foundry and Railroad streets. Central 
Falls, which business he now conducts. In 
politics he is an independent. Jan. 8, 1853, he 
was married to lilma Williams, of Pawtucket, 
by which union there are two children : Ellen 
Enielia, b. Oct. 4, 1854; Hattie Lillian, b. .\ug. 
13. 1859; his first wife died May 14, 1876. He 



was married to Abbey F. Dennis, of Patience 
Island, Narragansett Ha>-, R. I., from which 
union there is no issue. 

SPENCER, Henry L., the son of Job L. 
and the grandson of Gideon L. vSpencer, was 
born Oct. 15, i860, in North Providence. He 
obtained his education in a private school and 
in the public and high .schools of Pawtucket. 
After his school days were over he was employed 
with his father in the manufacture of yarn in 
the old Slater mill, which had became the prop- 
erty of the Spencer family. In 1881 he started 
as a side issue the bicycle business, and is the 
pioneer dealer in Pawtucket and the second in 
the state. He used the structure adjoining the 
Old Slater Mill for a sale and wareroom, and 
.still continues to do business at that location. 
For several seasons he has used the top floor of 
the old mill for a bicycle riding school. This 
old building has had carried on within its walls, 
during the space of a little over one hundred 
years, many varieties of industry', and the range 
from the first successful cotton spinning machin- 
er)- to the bicycle represents an epitome of the 
progress of the century. 

Mr. Spencer has seen many competitors 
enter the field and retire — the business not 
warranting heavy expenses or reckless display 
because of its short season of real profit in the 
spring and summer months. By a conser\ative 
and modest conduct of his business, with the 
experience of fifteen years in the trade, anil the 
ever growing confidence of his patrons, Mr. 
Spencer hopes to continue with reasonable 
profit to himself and satisfaction to his cus- 
tomers. During the winter months Mr. .Spencer 
travels the Middle and New England states 
appointing agents and looking after the whole- 
sale trade of one of the leading bicycle manufac- 
turing companies of the country. 

Mr. Spencer deals in some of the finest 
bicycles made in this country. He is agent for 
the Sterling, made by the Sterling Cycle Works, 
Chicago; and the Cleveland, made !)>• H. A. 
Lozier iS: Co., Tliomiison, Cmin.. and Toledo, 
Ohio. He is a member ol ,St. I'nid's Eiiiscupal 
church and belongs to the T. K. Club, and the 
Rhode Island Wheelmen ol Providence. In 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



447 



politics he is a Republican. l'"or some j'ears he 
was clerk of the third ward, and served at the 
first election when the Australian ballot was 
used. April 9, 1890, at St. Elizabeth, N. J., 
he was married to Margaret S. Allen, b\' which 
union there are two sons. 

Cideon L. Spencer, the grandfather of 
Henry L., was one of the men who contributed 
greatly to the upbuilding of the business of 
Pawtucket in the first half of the present cen- 
tury. He was one of Samuel Slater's first 
vSuuday school scholars, worked when a child 
in the old mill, then became a tailor and car- 
ried on business as such for many years, until 
retiring from acti\e commercial life. 

SPENCER, Micah W., was born in 1S54 at 
Newport, R. I., and is the son of Thomas A. 
and Matilda R. (Read) Spencer. After com- 
pleting his schooling at the Newport high school 
he was a salesman successively in the dry goods 
stores of Edward Mason & Co., H. W. Ladd & 
Co., and Shepard & Co., Providence, and so 
far progressed in the business that he became 
an expert buyer of laces. In 1886 he came to 
Pawtucket to the mills of D. Goff & Son, as 
cashier and paymaster, which positions he stills 
holds. Mr. Spencer is a Republican, and is a 
member of the Garfield Club. In 1893 he was 
elected secretan,- of the Pawtucket License 
Commission, which position he at present occu- 
pies. He belongs to Enterprise Lodge, I. O. (). 
F., and Pawtucket Council Royal Arcanum. 
In 1881 he was married to Emma E. Blanchard, 
of Rehoboth, Mass., and the}^ have one child, 
Clifford P., b. in 18S3. The Spencer famih- 
originated in England and settled in Rhode 
Island several generations since. Thomas, the 
grandfather, and Thomas A., the fatlier of 
Micah, were born at East Greenwich. 

SPRING, nerrill, .son of Elisha and Catherine 
(Wheeler) Spring, was born in Hubbardstown, 
Mass., in 1821. His parents moved to Grafton, 
where he attended the public schools. When 
15 years old he went to work in a shoe factory 
at Grafton, and two years later entered the cot- 
ton mills of H. «& S. B. Chace, learned the 
business, and became overseer. In 1843 he 
was transferred to the mills at \'alle\- Falls, 



where he remained some 25 years. About 1868 
he was appointed superintendent of the mills of 
the Abbott Run Co., which position he held 
until about 1876, when the water privilege was 
taken by Pawtucket and the mills were perman- 
ently closed. He then took charge of the com- 
jiany's property and tenements, which position 
he now holds. In politics he is a Republican. 
He attends the Universalist church. In 1843 
he was married to Louisa Clapp of Grafton, by 
which union there are three children : Charles 
Edgar, F^lla V. and Mary I. Mr. Spring lives 
in the old Titus house in \'alley Falls, which 
was built early in this century. 

STANLEY, Arthur Willis, fourth child of 
John Herbert and Cornelia (Draper) .Stanley, 
was born Sept. 30, 1847, in Attleboro, Mass. 
He received his early education in the public 
schools of Attleboro, and Irvington, N. Y., 
whither hi> parents removed in 1859. In 1865 
his parents returned to Attleboro and in 1867 
he came to Pawtucket and entered the employ 
of Draper, Atwood & Co., soap manufacturers. 
Mr. Draper purchased his partner's interests, 
and in 1871 Mr. Draper and Mr. Stanley formed 
a copartnership under the firm name of J. O. 
Draper & Co., and the business is carried on at 
the present time at the original location, 165 
and 166 Front street, corner Clay street. Mr. 
.Stanley was one of the original members of the 
manufacturing jewelrj- firm of Kent & Stanley. 
The Kent & Stanley building, corner Aborn 
and Sabin streets. Providence, the most modern 
building for manufacturing purposes in this 
vicinity, was named after this firm. 

In 1 88 1 -2 Mr. Stanley was a member of the 
Pawtucket town council. He is a member of 
the Congregational Society of Central Falls, 
the Pawtucket Y. M. C. A., the Pawtucket 
Business Men's Association, the Knights of 
Honor, and is a charter member of A. O. U. W. 
Sejit. 17, 1S73, he was married to Eunice Shep- 
ard, daughter of Henry F. May and Elizabeth 
(Cushman) Shepard of Providence, by which 
union there have been six children : Henry W.,b. 
Sept. 18, 1875; May Cushman, b. Sept. 20, 
1S76; John Lawrence, b. Aug. 3, 1880, d. Nov. 
9, 1890; Joseph Allerton, b. May 10, 1882; 



44> 



I,l,rSTR ATI'!!) HISTORY OF PA\VTUCK1':T 



Kuiiice lUi/.abeUi, h. May 20, iS.SS ; Arthur 
Lincoln, b. April 23, 1S93. 

Mr. vStanley represents the ninth generation 
of his family in America, nian\- <il wliimi have 
been di.stingui.shed in the juiMic atlairs of Xew 
England from the earliest settlement. His 
mother was a lineal descendant ol the cele- 
brated Go\-eni()r William ISradfonl. I'.oth his 
parents were remarkable for their excellent 
constitutiiins : his father li\-ed to be S2 \ears 
old and his mother is still ali\-e. 

STEARNS. Henry Augustus, \-iee-president 
and superintendent of the Ihiion Wadding Co., 
was born Oct. 23, 1825, in Billerica, Mass. He 
attended the Andover Acadeni}', but at an early 
age was thrown upon his own resources and 
first engaged in the employment of making 
shoes, but finding thi.s occupation neither con- 
genial nor profitable he went to Cincinnati, 
Ohio, and established the first cotton wadding 
manufactory in the West. This Imsiness, sul>- 
sequently incorporated under the name of the 
Stearns & Foster Co., is a going concern at 
the present time. Mr. Stearns sold his interest 
to his brother in 1850 and went to California, 
where he started the first steam laundr\- in that 
state and did a large business. He also en 
gaged in xarious enterprises, among which were 
operating a .steam ferry between San Francisco 
and Oakland, of which he was half owner and 
commander. This was the first steam ferry be 
tween those cities. He also operated a saw mill 
in San Jose, where was prepared the redwootl 
used in the construction of buildings ; kept a 
store in the town of Oilroy : and was engaged 
in the cattle business. In 1853 he returned to 
Cincinnati and again engaged in the wadding 
business, but owing to ill health left in 1857 
and engaged in the nuinntacture of hardware in 
the city of P>nffalo, X. V., where in the great 
panic of that year he lo.st nearly all his propert\'. 
He then went to Illinois, where he operated a 
saw mill and farm in Sangamon county. In i8() 1 
he came to Pawtucket and engaged in the wad- 
ding business with Darius Cioff. F^'roni this modest 
l)eginning has grown the Union Wadding Co., 
which, in 1S71, was incorporated, and of which 
Mr. Stearns is vice-president and superintendent. 



In 1 89 1 -2 he was lieutenant-governor of the 
state of Rhode Island. 

Mr. Stearns was prominent in public affairs 
and represented the town of Lincoln in both 
brunches of the .state legislature, being a mem- 
ber ol the house from 1878 to iSSi, and a mem- 
ber of the senate from 1881 to 1884, and again 
a mendjer of the senate in 1S87 and 1888. He 
was a member of the committee which investi- 
gated the state institutions. He introduced the 
act creating the State Home and School, was 
chairman of the board of commisioners to select 
and purchase the site and buildings, and ha.s 
been chairman of the board of control since its 
organization. 

In June 25, 1856, he was married to Kate, 
daughter of J. H. and Charlotte Smith F'al- 
coner, of Hamilton, Ohio, by which union there 
have been eight children: Deshler Falconer, b. 
Aug. 7, 1857 > Oeorge Rus.sell, b. Jan. 19, i860; 
W'alter Henry, b. Jan. 3, 1862 ; Kate Russell, b. 
July 21, 1864; Charles Falconer, b. July 27, 
1.S66: Henry Foster, b. March 3, 1868: Anna 
Russell, b. Jan 4, 1873, d. F"eb. 7, 1874; Caro- 
line Cranston, b. Jan. iS, 1875. 

Mr. Stearns is in the sex-enth generation of 
his family in America, being a descendant of 
Isaac Stearns who came to this country from 
F^ngland in 1630 and settled in Watertown, 
Mass. The family originated in lingland, and 
descended from Richard Sterne, Archbishop of 
York, Nottinghamshire, F^ngland. 

STEPHANS, Jacob, third child of Henry 
and Carlotta (Wagner) Stephans, was born at 
Rehborn, Germany, Aug. 8, 1854. He attended 
school in his native town, and in 1869 emigrated 
to America and located at Woonsocket where 
he was employed in the rubber work. In 1S76 he 
worked at Forestdale and later returned to Woon- 
socket where he went to work for George Miller. 
In 1878 he came to Pawtucket and engaged with 
Cole Bros., later with W. H. Ha.skell &; Co., ami 
in 1 88 1 with the Pawtucket Manufacturing Co., in 
which latter establishment he had charge of the 
press room, and subsequently was placed in 
charge of the bolt department. In June, 1895, 
he associated himself with Charles H. Hlood- 
'jood and organized the Pawtucket Nut Co., of 



BIOGR APIIIKS. 



440 



wliicli he is manager, located on Jenks avenue, 
rear of 170 Main street. In politics he is a 
Republican, and in 1894 and 1895 was council- 
man from the fourth ward. He belongs to the 
Odd Fellows, Veteran Fireman's Association, 
and the A. O. V. W . In 1874 he was married 
to Jennie Cameron of I'awtucket, by which 
union there are four children: vSarah, b. 1.S76 ; 
Albert, b. 1878: Carlotta, b. 1882; Isabelle, 
b. 1886. 

STILLMAN, George Courtland, was born 
Dec. 7, 1842, at North Stonington, Conn., and 
is the only son of David and Rebecca (Brown) 
Stillman. He attended the public schools of 
his native town and the high school at Westerly, 
R. I. When 18 }-ears old he became a school 
teacher, which occupation he followed for five 
j-ears. In 1867 he joined with Edwin A. Lewis 
in opening a grocery store. Four years later 
he bought out Mr. Lewis's interest and con- 
ducted the business alone until 1880 when he 
sold out and went into the employ of A. B. 
McCrillis & Co., wholesale commission mer- 
chants, Providence, as a trav'eling salesman, 
which position he retained for seven years. In 
1887 he came to Pawtucket and established a 
commission business which is now conducted at 
12 and 14 Phillips street, Central Falls. 

Mr. Stillman has been active in politics, and 
was a member of the Lincoln town council for two 
years. He is also prominent in church work. 



being clerk of the Broad Street Baptist church, 
president of the church society, and has been 
leader of the choir for ten years. He is Past 
Master of Jenks Lodge A. F. and A. M. of 
Central Falls, and Past Connnander of Holy 
Sepulchre Conmandery, Knights Temjilars, 
Pawtucket. Aug. 25, 1865, he was married to 
Louisa A. Coe of New Shoreham. R. 1. 

STINESS, Samuel Q., was born in Fast 
Douglas, Mass., vSepl. 4, i.S2y. and was the 
second son of Philip Bes.som and Mary (Marsh) 
Stiness. He came to Providence with his 
parents when nine years old, and there he 
received his education in the public schools. 
He then served an apprenticeship to the jewelry 
trade with Sackett, Davis & Potter, and worked 
as a journeyman for several years. In 1853, 
when 24 years of age, he began on his own 
account the manufacture of watch kej- pipes, 
which he carried on until the advent of stem 
winding watches and the outbreak of the war of 
the rebellion both operated to destroy this indus- 
try. At the first call for troops he enlisted, 
l)eing commissioned with the rank of captain. 
After recovering from an attack of smallpox, 
he with Henry Pearce mustered a company in 
Providence, and he was dispatched to Washing- 
ton b}^ Governor Sprague with a detachment of 
these recruits. Here he was again stricken 
down with sickness, and on his recovery his 
constitution was so impaired that he had to 




BRASS FOUNDRY OF WILLIAM NEWELL 

STARTED IN 1845 IN CUMBERLAND R I. 



HOMESTEAD OF WILLIAM NEWELL, 
LT IN 1776 BV HIS GRANDFATHER JASON NEWElL. 



450 



I I.LUSTK ATlvI) HISTORY OK 1' AW TU C K IvT. 



_t;:i\e up all hojic of lurtlu-r service in the 
iu"m\ . 

In the sununer ol 1S64 Mr. Stiness accepted 
a ])osilioii in the I{ast Station of the Providente 
(ias Conipanw and showed such aptness and 
adaptabilitx that at the end of fi\e \ears he was 
recommended for appointniint as agent and 
general manager of the I'awiiuket Gas Com- 
pany. This position lie held iintil his death. 
Under his control the works were thoronghl\- 
reorganized, the most modern and aiijiroNed 
appliances were adopted, and durini; his connec- 
tion with the company its capital was increased 
from $100,000 to $600,000, and its gas mains 
extended from eleven to seventy miles. He was 
one of the founders of the New England Asso- 
ciation of Gas Engineers, of which for three 
years he was president. He was also a niend)er 
of the Guild of Gas Managers, of the Society of 
Gas Li.ghting, and was vice-president of the 
American Gas Light Association for several 
years. Many improvements in the methods of 
maiuifacturing gas were devised by him, and he 
was the author of a number of able papers deliv- 
ered before the various gas associations on mat- 
ters pertaining to the industry. Nov. 5, 1894, 
Mr. Stiness was killed instantl>-, in tlie early 
evening, while on his wa>- home, 1)\- l)eing 
struck by a train at the Broad street crossing, 
Pawtucket. 

In the Masonic Order, Mr. Stine.ss attained 
great ])rominence. In 1X64 he united with 
What Cheer Lodge, Providence ; but four 
years later severed his connection to assi.st in 
forming Corinthian Lodge, of which he was 
master in 187,^-4. He was deputy grand master 
of the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island in 1887-8, 
was a member of the Providence Royal Arch 
Chapter, the Grand Chapter, the Providence 
Council of Royal and vSelect Ma.sters and was 
eminent commander of Calvary Commandery, 
No. 13, Knights Templars. He was also a mem- 
ber of the Pawtucket Business Men's Associa- 
tion, and of the Providence Marine As.socia- 
tion. In politics Mr. vStiness was a Republi- 
can. He belonged to the Episcopal churth. 
He was married in 1854 to Sarah, daughter 
of James Hutchinson, and she, with two of 



the three sons who were born to them, still 
sur\-i\es. 

A nundjer of the ancestors of Mr. Stiness 
were conspicuous in the revolution. One of 
the brothers of Mr. Stiness, John H., is an asso- 
ciate justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court. 
Another brother, Philip B., was for many years 
clerk of the .Sixth District Court, Providence. 

STRATTON, Arthur Talmadge, first child 
of John T. and Anna (Wilson) Stratton, was 
born in West Chazy, Clinton county. New 
York, Oct. 24, 1854. His parents in 185S 
removed to Chateaugay, N. Y., where he 
attended the public schools. He then took a 
course at the Franklin Academy, Malone, N. Y., 
from which he was graduated in 1884. Soon 
after he entered the University of \'ermont, and 
during part of the time, while pursuing his 
studies there, was assi.stant secretary- of the Bur- 
lington Young Men's Christian Association, 
thereby meeting some of his" college expenses. 
In 1885 he was a delegate to the conference 
of college students, at Moody's .school. North- 
field, when the "volunteer movement" was 
inaugurated. He spent some time at the 
vSpringfield, Mass., school for training general 
secretaries. His first field of labor as general 
secretary was at Middlebury, Vt. He then 
went to Dover, N. H., where he remained more 
than three years. Mr. Stratton came to Paw- 
tucket, June, 1891, as general secretary of the 
Young Men's Christian Association, which posi- 
tion he now holds. The association had been 
organized but a j-ear and a half when Mr. Strat- 
ton undertook its direction, but his thorough 
methods have placed it in the first rank. It 
now has finely appointed quarters and a large 
membership. 

Mr. Stratton is a member of the First Free 
Baptist church. June 25, 1888, he was married to 
luiniia Isabelle Harvey of Middlebury, Xt., by 
which union there have been three children : 
Philip Harold, b. July 24, 1889 ; Arthur T., Jr., 
b. May 21, 1892, d. April 5, 1894; Ruth Anna, 
b. June 14, 1894. 

The Adam Sutcliffe Co., at 14 Leather 
avenue carries on one of the largest book, job 
and commercial printing establishments in the 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



45' 




BUILDING OF THE ADAM SUTCLIFFE CO. 

State. One of the departments is devoted to 
lithographic, type and plate printing, and an- 
other to the manufacture of shipping tags, 
tickets, gum labels and stationers' specialties. 
The latter is operated under the name of the 
Salisbury Manufacturing Co., but is owned by 
and is a part of the general business of the con- 
cern. In 1880 Adam Sutcliffe started in the 
printing business on North Main street, but the 
business increased on his hands so rapidly that 
in 1886 the present company was incorporated. 
Samuel M. Conant is president and Adam Sut- 
cliffe, secretary and treasurer. 

TAYLOR, Jude, is of the second generation 
of the family in America. His father came from 
Edenfield, Lancashire, England, in the early 
part of this century, and arri\ed in Bridgeport, 
Conn., under contract with manufacturers of 
woolen goods, as a finisher of broadcloths, flan- 
nels and blankets. Jude was born in Edenfield, 
Lancashire, England, March 14, 1822, and was 
the twelfth child of Jude and Elizabeth (Cook) 
Taylor. Both his parents lived to be over 80 
years of age. He came to this country when 15 
years of age, landing in Boston on Aug. 12, 
1837. He at once joined his father in Paw- 
tucket. His first occupation was a tier boy in 
the Dunnell printworks, where he remained six 
months, leaving to learn engraving for calico 
printing with Samuel Lord in the LeHaxour 
building, rear of the .stone Iniilding on North 
Main street. Here he served seven years ap- 
prentice.ship, and then worked four years as a 
journeyman. In 1849, in partnership with 
Charles Payne, he established himself in busi- 



ness as a calico print engrav'er under the firm 
name of Payne & Taylor in the LeFavour 
Iniilding, but so rapid was the growth of their 
enterprise that in four 3'ears they were com- 
pelled to seek larger quarters and removed to 
Dr. Manchester's building, rear of North Main 
street, where they remained until 1856, when 
thej' removed into their own building on East 
avenue, then Pleasant street. At this time they 
employed a large force of engravers and designers. 
They continued to prosper until new methods 
superseded the old, and the demand for their 
worked ceased. In the meantime Payne & 
Taylor became interested in the manufacture of 
haircloth, and in 1863 purchased the plant of 
the Boston Hair Cloth Co. This business was 
continued until March, 1893, when the firm 
was consolidated with the Pawtucket Hair 
Cloth Co., under the name of the American 
Hair Cloth Co., of which Mr. Taylor is now 
vice-president. He is also treasurer of the 
American Yarn Co., vice-president of the Paw- 
tucket Institution for Savings, and a director of 
the Pacific National Bank. 

Mr. Taylor served on the Pawtucket town 
council from 1S76 to 1881. He has always 
taken a deep interest in the welfare of his adopted 
city. In 1846 he was married to Amy T., 
daughter of Deacon Talbot Jenks of Pawtucket, 
by which union there were four children : 
Thomas B., Alice, Louisa. Cathleen, and Ivnuna 
Florence. 

TENNEY, Alfred E., of the A. E. Tenney 
Manufacturing Co., 106 Broad street, Paw- 
tucket, is the only child of Earl and Mary P. 
(Wheeler) Tenney, and was born March 19, 
1834, at Pepperell, Mass. He attended the 
public schools at Townsend, Mass., until he 
was 16 years old, after which be learned the 
machinist trade. In 1861 he came to Provi- 
dence, was connected with the Providence Tool 
Co. in the manufacture of firearms and sewing 
machines for 20 years; then became associated 
with Capl. William Jeffers in the manufacture 
of fire engines in Pawtucket. He finally suc- 
ceeded to the business, and branched out into 
the manufacture of general and special machin- 
ery, and the concern was organized under its 



452 



n<LUSTRATi:i) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKKT. 



j)rcsciil iiiuiie ill 18X5. Mr. 'rcnnty is inaii- 
ager of the company. ( l-'or an :u-c(innl ol the 
business see page 151)- 

In politics Mr. TiiiiK-x- is a I\epul)lican. 
He is a inenilier of llie rili;rini Congregational 
church, l'ro\i(li.'iu'e. Duiiiig the civil war he 
served as a jjrivate in llie I'ro\-i(lenco Home 
Guards. He was married lo Marietta Jewett 
of Pepperell, Mass., \vho died in 1S69 ; by this 
union there were two children : Frederick and 
Delia E. Mr. Teiiney was married the .second 
time to Jane F". Munroe of Providence, by which 
union there are two children: Alfred Iv, Jr., 
and Anna ('•. h'rederick is a.ssociated with his 
father in business. 

Mr. Teiiney's father was born March 11, 
1808, d. Aj)ril 29, 1839, at Pepperell, Mass., 
where he carried on the business of a woolen 
cloth finisher. His grandfather, Samuel Ten- 
ney, was b. at Temple, N. H., May 16, 1793, 
and (1. at Pepperell, Mass., Dec. 7, 1825. He 
was a finisher of home-made woolen cloth and 
was known as a clothier. The Tenney famil\- 
originated in Ivngland and is of Norman descent. 
The founder of the family in America, came 
from the tciwn of Rowlew in Yorkshire, Kng- 
laiid, and settled in Rowley, Mass., in 1638. 

THAYER FAMILY.— The first of tlii.s name 
to arrive in this country were Richard ami 
Thomas with their families. The^- were among 
the first Ma.ssachusetts colonists, and came from 
Braintree, lissex county, Fingland, in 1630. 
They settled in Massachu.setts, and to com- 
memorate their old home, called their settlement 
Braintree. The records of this town .slunv that 
Thomas became a freeman and owner of land in 
1636, and Richard became a freeman four \ears 
later in 1640. The family must have been 
distinguished in luigland, as they were granted 
a coat of arms, record of which can be found in 
the Heraldic Office, at Lincolnfield, IvnglaiKl. 
The s])elling of the name varied at different 
times, and appears Thaire, Thyer, Thair and 
Theyer. There is a question about the relation- 
ship of Thomas and Robert, but the descendants 
are from both, as the families intermarried 
continually. 

The Pawtiicket branch of the fainil\- des- 



cends from Tliomas, who was the progenitor of 
a numerous off.spring reaching nearly 5000 
souls. Ivvery generation jiroduced some mem- 
ber distinguished, either as scholar, jurist. 
(li\iiu-, soldier, financier or manulaclnrer. 

Thomas ( I ) married .Marger\-, in Fnghind, 
and the\' brought with them three sons named 
Thomas, Ferdinanda, and Shadrack. It would 
seem the\' had no further issue, as a will subse- 
(|uentl\- made onl\ mentions these three. This 
will is dated June 21, 16^14, and it would api^ear 
from it that he had accumulated considerable 
propertx', which has continued in the family to 
the ineseiit, passing from generation to genera- 
tion by inheritance. He died shortl)- after 
making the will, as it was admitted to probate 
Sept. 13, 1665, in lio.ston, Ma.ss. The line of 
descent is through : 

Ferdinanda (2), second child of Thomas 
and Margery. He resided with his parents at 
P>raiiitree, until after his father's death, when 
he with others removed to a near plantation 
called Nipimig (now Mendon), Worcester 
county, Mass. He was the largest proprietor, 
and his residence was a little south of the pres- 
ent center of the town on the Providence road. 
He was active and became distinguished both 
in local and .state affairs ; amassed a large for- 
tune for those days, and was enabled to leave 
all his sons farms at his death. Some of them 
became extensive land owners, and many of 
their descendants occupy the land to this daj'. 
He married Huldah Hayward of Braintree, 
Mass., by whom he had 12 children, the five 
first named were born in Braintree, the others 
in Mendon : .Sarah, b. May 21, 1654 ; Huldah, 
b. June 27, 1657 ; Jonathan, b. March 29, 165S ; 
David, b. July i, 1660, d. Aug. 12, 1674: 
Naomi, b. Feb. 7, 1662 ; Thomas, Samuel, 
Isaac, Josiah, ICbenezer, Benjamin ; David, bap- 
tized .Sept. 17, i'i77, d. Sept. i, 1690; F'erdin- 
anda, d. at Mendon, March 28, 1713. His 
wife (li(.'(l .Sept. I, ifKjo. The line of descent is 
tiirough ; 

Isaac (3), the eighth child of F'erdinanda 
and Huldah Hayward. lie was a farmer and 
li\ed at Mendon, Mass. He was married twice 
and had i 1 children. His first marriaue was on 





ROBERT H. SIMMONS, 

CONTRACTOR AND BUILDER. 



MERRILL SPRING, 

GEfi PROPERTY ABBOTT RUN CO. 





MICAH W. SPENCER, 

LICENSE COMMISSIONER 1893-16 



GEORGE C. STILLMAN, 

: GEORGE C. STILLMAN & CO., COMMISSION M 





ANDREW A. THOMPSON, 
ASTER MECHANIC LORRAINE MILL 



JAMES THOMPSON, JR., 

OVERSEER CARDING SLATER COTTON CO. 



454 



ILLUSTRATKH HISTORY OF PAWTUCKRT. 



April 12, 169 1, to Mercy Ward, by which union 
there were four children : Mary, b. Nov. 2, 
1693 ; Isaac, b. Sept. 24, 1695 ; P)benezer, b. 
Sept. 6, 1697; Comfort, b. Feb. 19, 1700. His 
first wife died Dec. iS, 1700, and in 1703 he 
married Murv, b\ whom he had .seven chil- 
dren. Il will be noticed that the first child 
by this wife is called Mary no doubt after the 
mother, but the first child of Mercy is also 
called Mary ; if she died before the birth of the 
second Mary, there is no record of it ; and it 
may be assumed that this is a mistake, the first 
child was undoubtedly called Mercy. The 
names of the children l)y the second wife are 
as follows: Mary, b. Dec. 22, 1704; John, 
b. May 6, 1706; Nathaniel, b. April 20, 1708; 
Moses, b. May 10, 1710; vSamuel, b. 1713; 
Jo.seph, b. 1715; and Ichabod, b. March 17, 
1 72 1. His wife died in 1730. The line of 
descent is through : 

Ebenezer (4), third child of Isaac and 
Mercy Ward. He was a farmer, settled at 
Bcllingham, Mass., married Mary Wheelock, 
May 9, 1 7 19, and had eight children : Ebenezer, 
1). June 1720; Huldah, b. March, 1722; Eliza- 
beth. 1). 1724; Micah, b. 1726; Isaac, b. March 
II, 1729; Abigail, b. Nov. 11, 1731 ; Peter, b. 
1733 : and Lydia, b. 1736. The line of descent 
is Ihrough : 

Captain Ebenezer (5), first child of 
l'"benezer and Mary Wheelock. He took a 
prominent and active part in public affairs in 
Bellingham, Mass., where he owned a large 
farm. He married Hannah Greene of Mendon, 
Mass., April 24, 1734, and had six children : 
Hannah, b. Dec. 3, 1735 : Ebenezer, b. Ma\- 21, 
1737 ; Lydia, b. July 31, 1739; Elias, b. June 
22, 1742; Silas, b. Nov. 30, 1746; and Huldah, 
b. Sept. 19, 1749. His wife d. in 17.S3. The 
line of descent is through ; 

Ebenezer (6), second child of Captain 
FCbenezer and Hannah Greene. He was a 
farmer in Bellingham, Mass. He married a 
relative, Martha, daughter of Uriah and 
Rachael Thayer, May, 1756. They had seven 
children: Thaddeus, b. Aug. 10, 1760; Cal- 
vin, b. July 7, 1763 ; Luther, b. Oct., 1767 ; 
Irene, b. Sept. 16, 1770; Ebenezer, b. Nov. 



29, 1772; and Pliilo, b. 1779. He died at 
Bellingham, Mass., in 1779. The line of des- 
cent is through : 

Ebenezer (7), ( sth child "I I^benezer ( fi ) 
and Martha Thayer) is grandfather of both 
branches of the Pawtucket family. He, like his 
ancestors, was a farmer of considerable means 
and lived in Bellingham, Mass. He mar- 
ried Sabra Darling of Bellingham, June 28, 
1798. He was a kind and affectionate man, 
and many of his grandchildren cherish his 
memory, and recall with pleasure the old white 
straw hat in which he always kept a store of the 
best apples for his beloved grandchildren. He 
had five children: Alanson, b. Feb. 17, 1799; 
Willard, b. April 18, 1802 ; Samuel, b. April 
22, 1804; Miranda, b. Aug. 2, 1S08; and Per- 
le\- C, b. Jan. 27, 1.S12. 

Alanson (8), the father of Edward 
Thayer, was born in Bellingham, but at an 
early age (about 1820) removed to Pawtucket, 
R. I., and became a prominent manufacturer, 
accumulating a large fortune. He first engaged 
in the retail dry goods business, then in cotton 
maimfacttire with Benjamin L. and Ellis Pit- 
cher, and built the two mills on River street, 
near the bridge. He was successful in his 
career to a surprising degree. In public affairs 
he was also active and was a representative 
from Pawtucket in the lower house of the state 
legislature and also a member of the commis- 
sion to establish the state boundary line. He 
was a man of great benevolence and extremely 
charitable. He died May 12, 1869, beloved 
and regretted by the whole community. He 
was married twice and had 10 children. His 
first wife was Sally, daughter of Samuel Dar- 
ling P^sq., of Bellingham, Mass., by whom he 
had four children: Albert, b. June 20, 1819; 
Amanda, b. Jan. 21, 1S22 ; Alan,son, b. Feb. 6, 
1826 ; and Sarah, b. Dec. 2, 1827. His finst 
wife died Feb. 6, 1828, aged 27 years and 4 
months. He married his second wife, Perley 
Bates, March 2, 1831, and by this union had 
six children : vSabra, b. Oct. 19, 1831 ; Ellen, 
b. June 29, 1834, d. March 7, 1835; Henry, b. 
Oct. 4, 1S36, d. July 9, 1844; Ellen Maria, b. 
Nov. 19, 1839, d. Aug. 18, 1S41 ; Edward, b. 




EDWARD THAYER, 

LASURER LEBANON MILL 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



455 



March 22, i^^43: and Maria Lmiisa, h. Ma\' 7, 
1S4S, (1. May iS, i,S4,S, 

Samuel (8), the tliinl child, was the 
father of Ellis and Philo E. Thayer. He mar- 
ried Miranda Sherman of Foxborough, Mass., 
in 1S26. He had a large farm at Bellingham, 
and during the portions of the season that it 
did not require all his attention he devoted his 
time to brush making with Aquila Cook. He 
was a man of magnificent physique, being over 
six feet in height, strong and powerfulh' built. 
He was of a pleasant and genial disposition, 
and was greatly respected. He dealt largely in 
cattle, raising steers and breaking them for 
agricultural purposes, and his early death was 
due to a .severe fall received while training a 
young steer. He died about 1858. He had six 
children: Allen, b. May 11, 1827; Ellis, b. 
June g, 1830; Julia Ann, b. Jan. 10, 1836; 
Sarah Wilber, b. Sept. 28, 1838 ; George Wes- 
ley, b. Sept. 28, 1844: and Philo Elisha, b. 
March 4, 1847. 

THAYER, Edward, treasurer of the Leb- 
anon Mill Co., 106 Broad street, Pawtucket, is 
of the ninth generation of the Thayer family in 
America. He is the fifth child of Alanson and 
Perley (Bates) Thayer, and was born March 23, 
1843, in Pawtucket, Mass. He was educated 
in the public schools of his native town and was 
graduated from its high school. His first em- 
ployment was as a clerk in the Slater State 
Bank. When but eighteen years old he enlisted 
in the 9th Rhode Island Volunteers, under a call 
for three months' service. Upon his return he 
entered his father's mill to learn print cloth 
manufacturing, where he acquired a general 
knowledge of the business. He then went into 
partnership with James Taft, in the old Greene 
mill, on River street, where they manufactured 
braid, under the name of the Slater Braid Com- 
pany. This enterprise not proving a success 
he disposed of his interest and entered the firm 
of R. B. Gage & Co., manufacturers of cotton, 
yarn and knitted fabrics, whose mill was on the 
site of the historic Kent Mill, which is mentioned 
in the act incorporating Pawtucket in 1828. In 
1867 Edward entered into partnership with his 
father, purchased this mill and conducted the 



Imsiiiess under the name of the Lebanon Mill 
Com])any. Less than two years later his father 
retired from liusiness and Edward conducted 
the establi.shment alone. In 1875 he had 
doubled the capacity of the enterprise and 
admitted S. Eugene Wood as a partner. In 
1 88 1 he purchased Mr. Wood's interest. Feb- 
ruary, 1877, the mill was totally destroyed by 
fire, and he then .secured the Payne building on 
Broad street, when he confined the product to 
knitted fabrics. He is assisted in the business 
by his two sons, S. Willard and Alanson. He 
rebuilt on the site of the old mill, and the build- 
ing is now occupied by the Pawtucket Bleaching 
& Dyeing Company. 

Mr. Thayer has been prominent in i)oliti- 
cal affairs, having for many years been a mem- 
ber of the Republican town committee, served 
in the town council, was a member of the 
board of license commissioners, and for several 
sessions represented Pawtucket in the General 
Assembly. In 1892 he was a delegate to the 
National Republican Convention which nomi- 
nated Benjamin Harrison for president. He is 
a member of the Masonic Order, belongs to the 
Boston Home Market Club ; the New York 
Republican Club; the Manhattan Club, of New 
York ; the Providence Athletic Association ; the 
Union Club of Providence ; the Towsomett 
Club of Chatham, Mass.; and the Pawtucket 
Business Men's Association. He ser\-ed in the 
Pawtucket Calvary as sergeant and lieutenant ; 
and was lieutenant colonel and later colonel of 
the Tower Light Battery. He was commis- 
sioned major of the second brigade by Governor 
Burnside. 

May I, 1865, he was married to Emma L.. 
daughter of Simon Dexter, of Pawtucket, by 
which union there are six children : S. Willard, 
b. Oct. 5, 1868; Alanson, b. April 12, 1869; 
Amy J., b. March 9. 1871 ; I-'lorence. b. Dec. 
31, 1872: I'Mward, Jr., b. Jan. 2, 1875: lunma 
1)., b. Jan. 2, 1875. 

THAYER, Ellis, .son of Samuel and .Miranda 
(Sherman) Thayer, is of the ninth generation 
ol his familw He was born in Bellingham, 
Mass., June 9, 1830, and learned brushmaking 
from Aquila Cook. In 1850 he worked for T. 



456 



ILLUSTRATKD HISTORY OF PAWTUCKRT. 



Curtis & Son of Providence , llicii the oiiIn- 
brushniakers in UIkuIc Island, remaining with 
them two years, when he went to work in 
Worcester, Mass., where in iSs4 he estal) 
lished himself in business as a nuinnfaclurer 
of brushes, which he conducted successfully for 
25 years. 

In 1.S70 he purcha.sed the defunct lirush 
works of Thomas Greene, I'awlucket, and in 
partnership with his brother George W. started 
a bru.sh factory under the firm name of Thayer 
Bros. Upon the death of his brother George 
W. in 1875, he purchased his interest, and asso- 
ciated himself with his younger brother Philo K. 
Declining health compelled him to dispose of 
of his Worcester factory in 1S78, when he 
changed his residence to Pawtucket, devoting 
all his tune to this business. During his busi- 
ness career he has obtained several patents on 
brushes. 

In 1880 he disposed of his interest to his 
brother Philo E., and in 1883 successfully estab- 
lished his present business, which increased so 
rapidly that in 1887 he was compelled to build 
his present extensive works on Exchange street. 
He makes a specialtj- of brushes for cotton and 
woolen machinerj', also for .shoe factories and 
manufacturing jewelers. 

April 17, 1855, he was married to Mary E., 
daughter of John Smith of Scituate, R. I., — a 
lineal descendant of John Smith who came to 
Rhode Island w'ith Roger Williams, — by which 
union there were two children: ICdgar vS., b, 
¥eh. 9, 1859, d. April 11, 1S59, and Herbert H., 
b. March 6, 1863. 

THAYER, Philo Elisha, of the ninth gen 
eration of his family in America, the .son of 
Samuel and Miranda (Sherman) Thayer, was 
born March 4, 1847, at Bellingham, Mass., 
where he attended the public schools until he 
was II years old, when his parents moved to 
Woonsocket, R. I., where he attended the 
grammar and high schools. His parents then 
removed to West Milton, Ohio, and he com- 
pleted his education in the high .school of that 
place, from which he was graduated in 1S63. 
During the lifetime of his father he had ac(|uired 
some knowledge of brushmaking, and in 1S64 



he came to \\'orcester, Mass., and entered the 
liiusli works of his brother Ivllis. IK- n-niained 
there but a few months when he joined with his 
brother Allen, who was located in Woonsocket, 
where he remained six years. In 1.S70 his 
brothers l^llis and George purchased Thomas 
Greene's brush works on East avenue, Pavv- 
tuckit, and he was appointed foreman of the 
factors-. Two years later he went to Woonsocket 
where he entered a grocerj* .store. Upon the 
illness of his brother George in 1873 he returned 
to Pawtucket, assuming his former position as 
factory foreman. Later he purchased the inter- 
est of his brother George, and the firm name 
became Thayer Brothers, Ellis and Philo being 
the partners. In 1880 he purchased the interest 
of his brother Ellis and has since conducted the 
business alone under the name of Philo li. 
Thayer & Co., brush manufacturers, 34 East 
avenue. His business has prospered and his 
present e.stablishment barely suffices to meet 
the demand for the product. He was also 
interested in a brush factory located in Woon- 
socket, but in 1893 he di.sposed of his interest 
to his partner and nephew, Walter S. Thayer, 
who still continues the business. 

In public affairs Mr. Thayer has been an 
active participant. In 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 
1890, and 1895, he represented the third ward 
in the city council and was a member of the 
board of aldermen for 1896 and 1897 — and 
president of the board. He was a member of 
the special committee of the city council in 
charge of the Cotton Centennial in 1890 ; and 
was chairman of the sub-committee on manu- 
factures under whose supervision cotton was 
taken in its raw state from the brush and manu- 
factured into cloth, all in the same building, a 
feat of mechanical skill, as applied to manufac- 
ture, perhaps never before attempted. At the 
present time he represents Pawtucket in the 
General Assembly. 

P'rom T864 to 1S71 he was a member of the 
Woonsocket Light Artillery, and retired with 
the rank of lieutenant. The battery offered its 
services to the National Government during the 
civil war, but could not be accepted as light 
•artillerv. 



BIOGRAPHIEvS. 



457 



March 7, 1866, he was married to Cieorgi- 
anna daughter of Ira W. Arnold, of Woon- 
socket, R. I., by which union there have been 
three children: Annie Louise, b. June 17, 186S; 
Hattie Miranda, b. Nov. 13, 1S70: the third 
child died in infancy. 

THOMPSON, Andrew Abel, master me 
chaiiic at Lorraine mills, was born at Bridge- 
water, \'t., May 15, 1837, and is the son of 
Hosea B. and Sarah (Barrows) Thompson. 
Until he was eighteen years old he attended the 
public schools and worked on a farm. He then 
attempted to learn the trade of carpenter, but 
an accident occurred which deprived him of his 
right limb below the knee. After this he 
learned the machinist trade and worked as a 
journeyman for the Hayden Mfg. Co. , of Hayden- 
ville, Mass., Samuel Slater & Sons, Webster, 
Mass., and in 1879 became master mechanic for 
Hamilton Woolen Co., Southbridge, Mass., 
later for B. B. & R. Knight of Dodgeville, Mass. , 
and in 1883 was appointed master mechanic at the 
Lorraine mills, Pawtucket, which position he 
now holds. Mr. Thompson attends the Thom- 
son M. E. church, Pawtucket, and has been 
Superintendent of the Sunday school for the 
past twelve years. He also is a member of the 
Y. M. C. A., and ser\-ed on its board of directors 
for several years. He belongs to the Ma.sonic 
Order. In politics he is a Republican. He 
was married in 1879 to Martha A. Burby. 

Mr. Thompson is a lineal descendant in 
the seventh generation of John Thompson, who 
was born in the north of Wales in the year 
i6i6, and landed at Plymouth, in May, 1622, 
being a member of the third embarkation from 
England. His line of descent is, John, the 
American founder of the family, whodied June 16, 
1696: Jacob, b. April 24, 1662, d. Sept. i, 1726 
Barnabas, b. Jan. 28, 1705, d. Dec. 20, 1798 
Noah, b. March 20, 1747, d. March 5, 1813 
Abel, b. Oct. 3, 1776, d. Jan. 10, 1850; Hosea 
B., b. Aug. 19, 1803, d. Jan. 26, 1880. 

THOMPSON, John Edward, of the firm of 
Weatherhead, Thompson & Co., belting, lace 
and picker leather, and thread and silk spool 
manufacturers, is the third child of Gladding 
O. and Lydia (Carpenter) Thomp.son, and was 



horn Jan. 3, 1830, at Cumberland, R. I., where 
he attended the public .schools until he was 20 
years old. His first employment was on a farm, 
1nit not finding this occupation congenial he 
turned his attention to boat building, and later 
he engaged in the jewelry business. Neither 
of these pursuits proving attractive he entered 
into copartnership with George Weatherhead 
and established the present business of the 
manufacture of oak tanned leather belting, lace, 
picker and raw hide leather, manufacturers' and 
mill supplies, thread and silk spools, at 447 Mill 
street. Central Falls. From the modest begin- 
ning in 1857 the business steadily increased 
and at the present time the firm is one of the 
foremost in its line, with one of the best equip- 
ped and most successfully conducted establish- 
ments in the trade. 

With a private business so extensive it 
would .seem that Mr. Thompson would find it 
difficult to devote his attention to public affairs. 
Nevertheless he has rendered conspicuous ser- 
vice. For several years he ser\-ed in the Lin- 
coln town council and for two j^ears was its 
president. In 1889 he was elected state senator 
from Lincoln, serving two years. In politics he 
is a Democrat. He is a Past Grand Chancellor 
of the Knights of Pythias, and Past Grand 
Dictator of the Knights of Honor, and has 
passed through all the chairs in the subordinate 
Lodge of Odd Fellows in Central Falls. He 
attends the Universalist church. May 10, 1854, 
he was married to Ruth Ann Weatherhead of 
Cumberland. 

Mr. Thompson is a descendant of old New 
England families on both sides. His father was 
born at Hartford, Conn., in 1806, and his mother 
was born in Cumberland, R. I. 

THOMSON, James Jr., .son of James and 
Elizabeth (Morrison) Thomson, was born iu 
1S53 at Paisley, Scotland. In 1868, his parents 
came to America, and his father, who was a 
skilled designer, became overseer of the beaming 
room of the Warp Company at Holyoke, Mass., 
he still resides iu that city. James, Jr., at an 
early age went to work iu J. P. Coats's mills, 
Paisley, and learned the cotton thread business 
in all its details. On coming to this country he 



458 



I I.LUSTR AT]:i) IIISTORV O 1' I'A \V T T C K. !• T 



engaged with the Iladley 'I'hrcad Co., of 
Holyoke, Mass., and was ad\anci.(l from a card 
grinder to a leading ])osition in the condjing 
department. In 1S76 he hecanie overseer of 
the threail works at Willimantie, Conn., and in 
1884 he returned to Holyoke, to take charge of 
the carding department in the Lyman mills. 
In 1 89 1 he came to Pawtucket as overseer of 
carding in the Slater Cotton Mills having charge 
in both mills and of 125 hands. 

In 1872 he demonstrated his inxentive 
abilities by constructing a stop-motion for the 
drawing frames. He sold his jiatent for a small 
sum, but the purchasers luue realized large 
profits from their investment, for the machine 
came into universal use. In 1890 he invented 
a stripping roller for revolving toj) flat cards, 
which proved a success and is now in general 
use. He is now perfecting a clearer for cleaning 
tl:e rolls of drawing machines, speeders and 
spinning frames, etc., which keeps the rolls 
absolutely clean and is regarded as the most 
useful invention in cotton machinery discovered 
in recent years. The present method requires 
cleaning by hand every hour, whereas this 
device requires attention but once a week to 
keep the rolls clean, and will prevent dirt from 
entering the fabric, thus avoiding imperfections. 
Expert mechanics and experienced mill men 
regard this last invention as one of the most 
useful and practicable in a decade, and look for 
its adoption in mills all over the w^orld. 

Mr. Thomson attends the Park Place Con- 
gregational church, and is a member of the 
Knights of Pythias. In 1874 he was married to 
Anna Brooks of Ware, Mass., from which union 
there were six children: James Renwick T., b. 
1879; Jennie E., b. 1881 ; Martha Beatrice, b. 
1886; all living, and three are dead. Mr. 
Thomson bought the Lindley estate, 192 Pine 
street, where he resides. He also owns real 
estate in Willimantie, Conn. 

THORNTON, George Mumford, treasurer 
of the Union Wadding Co., is the son of Jesse 
Smith and vSarah Burrows (Mumford) Thornton, 
and was born in Pawtucket, Dec. 15, 1850. He 
attended the public schools in Pawtucket for a 
while, and from there attended schools at Milton 



and I'ittsfield, Mass. Alter leaving I'ittsfield 
lie entered the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 
at Tro\-, New York, where he completed his 
studies. 

His business life began in 1.^71 at Han- 
nibal, Missouri, as confidential clerk to the 
manager of large miiu'ng interests. In this 
caj)acity he traveled extensively between Bos- 
ton, New York and the West. He remained 
ill the West about five years, and was at differ- 
ent times located in Kansas Cit\-, St. Joseph, 
Council Bluffs, Omaha, Sioux Cit>-, h'ort Dodge, 
I)es Moines and Springfield, Illinois. In 1876 
he came to New York city, and became treas- 
urer of a compan>- engaged in the manufactur- 
ing stationery business. While residing in 
New York he became interested in military 
affairs, and enlisted in Company I, 7th regiment, 
N. G., .S. N. Y. When this regiment moved 
from its old armory to its new and present 
armory he was one of the detail to escort Presi- 
dent Hayes on that occasion. In 1881 he 
returned to Pawtucket and became interested in 
the Union Wadding Co. He was a.ssistant-treas- 
urer of the company for a while, and when Mr. 
Lyman B. Goff was elected president, to succeed 
the late Darius Goff, Mr. Thornton was elected 
treasurer which position he now holds. In 
addition to his responsible duties as financial 
officer of this large manufacturing establish- 
ment, he is also treasurer of the American Yarn 
Co., Aetna Stopper Co. and treasurer of Nichols 
Academy, at Dudley, Mass. Mr. Thornton is 
a trustee of the Pawtucket Institution for 
Savings, a director in the Pacific National and 
First National banks of Pawtucket, and director 
in the Pawtucket Electric Co. He is a mendjer 
of the Pawtucket Business Men's Association, 
the " To Kalon " and " Patria " clubs of Paw- 
tucket and the Seventh Regiment \'eterau Club 
of New' York. 

In politics Mr. Thornton is a Republican. 
When the city of Central P'alls was incorporated 
in 1895, he was elected alderman from the third 
ward of that city and was re-elected to serve 
during the year 1896. He declined to serve for 
another term. He was elected president of the 
board of aldermen for the two terms that he 




GtORGE M. THORNTON, 

TREASURER Of UNION WADDING COUP 



B I ( ) O R A P H I K S . 



459 



was a member of the board. He was a member 
of the committee appointed by the city council 
to adjust and settle the indebtedness and differ- 
ences existing- between the city of Central F'alls 
and the town of Lincoln caused by the incorpor- 
ation and setting off of that city from the town 
of Lincoln. In 1895 and i8g6 he served as aide- 
de-camp on the personal staff of His Excellency, 
Governor Charles Warren Lippitt. 

Feb. 4, 1885, he married Edith A., daughter 
of Hezekiah Conant, of Central Falls. They 
have two children : Edith, b. Nov. 5, 1S86 ; 
Margery Conant, b. July 2, 1888. 

Mr. Thornton descends on his paternal and 
maternal sides from very old New England 
families, who can trace their ancestry back 
manj' generations. His father was the senior 
member of the well known Pawtucket firm of J. 
S. Thornton & Co., coal and lumber dealers, 
and was born in Mendon, Mass., in 1S12. He 
died in Philadelphia in 1856. His mother was 
born in 1827 and died in January, 185:. 

THURBER, Charles Edgar, was born in 
Pawtucket, Dec. 23, 1853, and was the first 
child of Charles H. and Clarinda Amelia (Bag- 
ley) Thurber. He attended the Pawtucket 
public schools in winter and worked on the 
farm of his grandfather, William Bagley, in 
Pawtucket, in summer. This course of alter- 
nating work and study continued until he was 
about 13 years old, when he went to work as 
a baker for A. C. Bagley, and afterwards 
learned the trade of a file cutter. Jan. i,s. 
1873, he started as an expressman at Pawtucket 
depot with one horse and a wagon ; but by strict 
attention to the wants of his patrons he .steadilx- 
increased the business until at present he em- 
ploys twenty horses and fifteen wagons, includ- 
ing hacks, open express wagons and furniture 
vans, all of which are constantly employed. He 
has the exclusive franchise for hack and express 
wagons at the Pawtucket depot. Ten years 
ago he started the parcel deliver^', which he 
still conducts, and it has been a very popular 
sj'stem. Mr. Thurber was married to Mary 
Lydia Sweetland, of Vernon, Vt., Feb. 9. 187 1. 

In politics Mr. Thurber is a Repul)lican, 
and is a member of the Garfield Club. He 



belongs to the First Methodist church, High 
street. He has always been active in .society 
matters; is a member of the A. O. II. W.; is a 
charter member of the Daughters of Liberty, of 
the Pawtucket Veteran Firemen's Association, 
of the A. K. Tilton Camp, Sons of Veterans, 
and of the Order of American Mechanics, and 
also of the American Benefit Association. He 
also belongs to the Temple of Honor. 

On his mother's side Mr. Thurber is 
descended from the Bagleys, one of the oldest 
families in Pawtucket. His maternal grand- 
father, William Bagley, was a contemporary of 
Oziel Wilkinson, carried on a blacksmith busi- 
ness, and the family residence stood on the 
north side of Main street near the present corner 
of Broad, where now stands the Bagley block. 

TIEPKE, Henry E., mayor of the city of 
Pawtucket, 1894-5-6, was born March 21, 1857, 
in Pawtucket, R. I. He was educated in the 
public schools of his native place, and while in 
his teens went to work in the Dunnell print- 
works. Remaining but a .short time at the.se 
works, he hired out to George Mumford & Co., 
hardware dealers. This concern retired from 
business and Mr. Tiepke was engaged b}- Sar- 
gent & Co., of New York, the largest wholesale 
hardware house in America. He left this house 
to become a clerk to the superintendent of the 
foundry department in the establishment of 
P'ales & Jenks, Pawtucket. Later he was em- 
ployed b}- the James Hill Manufacturing Co., 
of Providence ; and in 1880 became the New 
lingland manager for the Iron Clad Manufac- 
tvirint; Co., of New York, which position he 
held until 1S96, when his duties as a public 
officer compelled him to relinquish his private 
business and give his whole time and efforts to 
the service of his con.stituents. 

Mr. Tiepke became active in political affairs 
as soon as he attainetl his majority. The first 
public office held h\- him was that of district 
clerk of the town ol Pawtucket, on the east 
side. Later he was elected district wartlen, 
and on the organization of the city in 18S5, 
he became warden of the first ward. 

In the fall of 18.S7 he was electetl to the 
connnon council, from the first ward, and 



4^0 



It LUST RAT I' I) HISTORY OK PAWTUC K IvT. 



served in that branch of the municipal ^ovcni- 
nient for the years 1888, 1S89, and 1H90 : and in 
1891 lie was elected a niendier of the hoard of 
alderman. Mr. Ticpke, early in his ])olitical 
career, advocated ])roi;ressive measures and 
reforms in municipal methods, and while a 
member of the legislative branches of the cit> 
govennnent he labored for and had passed b\ 
both bodies a resolution in favor of the estab- 
lishment of a municipal electric lighting plant. 
This measure tlid not receive the approval nf 
Mayor Goodwin, but the agitation resulted in 
the Electric Lighting Company reducing its 
rates for municipal lighting. He introduceil 
the resolution requesting the General Assend)l\- 
to apply the Australian ballot system to city 
elections in Pawtucket, which was granted ; he 
also drafted and was instrumental in passing an 
ordinance re(iuiring contractors for cit\' work 
and supplies to submit bids. He also introduced 
the resolution in the common council that origin 
ated the city council centenary committee, of 
wliich he was elected chairman. Mr. Tie])ke 
filled this ])osition, which required much time, 
patience, and attention to details, with great 
satisfaction to the people of Pawtucket and 
credit to himself, and in the conduct of its difR 
cult duties developed good administrative and 
executive ability. He organized the Garfield 
Republican Club and has been its president 
from the beginning. In 1894, 1S95 and 1896 he 
was mayor of Pawtucket. The reforms which 
he advocated while a member of the legislati\e 
branches of the city government he pressed with 
vigor and intelligence while ina\or, and if the 
many wholesome reforms and ])rogressive meas- 
ures which he favored did not materialize, as 
was sincerely hoped by his progressive consti- 
tuents, it was owing to an absence of working 
sympathy on the part of the legislative l)ranches 
over which he had no mandatory control. 

In 1893 Mr. Tiepke was appointed Commis- 
sioner of Industrial Statistics with ofhces at ,^5 
North Main street, Providence, which ])osition 
he now holds. Mr. Tiepke's rapid rise in politits 
is an object lesson of what is within the grasji 
of every enterprising, progressive, intelligent 
American, who has the power to attain and 



the ability to fill a jiosition which andiition 
creates. 

TILLINCjHAST, Pardon Elisha, associate 
justice of the .\i)pellate Dixision of the Supreme 
Court of the State of Rhode Island, is the .second 
child of John and Susan C. (Avery) Tillinghast, 
and was born, Dec. 10, iS;;6. at West Green- 
wich, R. I. He received his earl\- education in 
the ]iulilic schools of Rhode Island and Con- 
nectii-ut, and afterwards at Hall's Academy, 
Connecticut, and the Providenie Conference 
Seminary, ICast Greenwich, R. I. Later he 
was graduated from both the Rhode Island 
State Normal School, and Potter & Hammond's 
Commercial College. He then taught school 
for eight years in A'alley P'alls, Pawtucket, and 
Pro\'idence. 

At the outbreak of the ci\il war he enlisted 
in the 1 Jth Infantry, R. I. \'olunteers, and 
went to the front, serving with the 9th army 
corps under Gen. Burnside. He was soon pro- 
moted to be quartermaster sergeant, and at the 
expiration of his term of service received an 
honorable discharge. On his return home he 
studied law with Charles W. Thrasher and the 
Hon. Thomas K. King, and was admitted to the 
bar in 1867. His cases were carefull}- prepared 
and he soon established a large and select 
practice. In iSj2 he was elected town solicitor 
of Pawtucket, which position he held for nine 
years. In 1881 he was elected ju.stice of the Rhode 
Island Supreme Court and ser\-ed in the Com- 
mon Pleas Division, until 1S91, when he was 
transferred to the vSuprcme Court sitting in banc, 
and later to the Appellate Division, sitting with 
Chief Justice Matte.son and Mr. Justice Stiness. 

Mr. Justice Tillinghast is of broad and 
liberal views and while holding himself rigidly 
to the standard of life dictated by his own con- 
science, he does not permit his conception of 
his duties to influence his judgment toward 
others. In 1891 he received the honorary 
degree of Master of Arts from Brown I'niversity, 
and was elected a corresponding member of the 
New York Medico-Legal Society. In educa- 
tional matters he has always taken a deep inter- 
est, and particularly in the public school s\stem, 
to which he rendered valuable aid when a 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



461 



member of the Pawtucket school committee. 
He has been prominent in pu])lic affairs. For a 
number of years he sensed in both branches of 
the legislature, being chairman of the judiciary 
committee of the senate for four years and also 
chairman of the joint select committee on the 
revision of the statutes. In 1877 he was chair- 
man of the joint committee appointed to recei\e 
President Hayes when he visited this state. 
For six years he was judge advocate general 
of the state of Rhode Island. He is a member 
of the Pawtucket Business Men's Association, 
the Providence Bar Club, the Patria Club, and 
the G. A. R. He has taken an active part in 
church work, and has been closelj- identified 
with the Sabbath school for many years. He 
has been president of the Fir.st Baptist society 
for the past ten j-ears. 

Nov. 13, 1867, he was married to Ellen F. 
Paine of Pawtucket, by which union there are 
four children : Alice L., b. Nov. 7, 1871; John 
A., b. May 25, 1874; Angeline F., b. Sept. 19, 
1876; Frederick \V., b. Jan. 9, 1881. 

The common ancestor of the Tillinghast 
familj- was Rev. Pardon Tillinghast, who was 
born at Seven Cliffe, near Beachy Head, Eng- 
land, about 1622. It is supposed that he served 
in Cromwell's army. He came to America in 
1643 and is believed to have lived for a short 
time in Connecticut, but under date of Jan. 19. 
1646, his name appears attached to a receipt for 
25 acres of land in Providence. He succeeded 
the Rev. Thomas Olney as pastor of the First 
Baptist church. Providence, where he officiated 
for more than sixty years. In 1761 he erected 
at his own expense and presented to the church 
its fir.st meeting-house. The importance of this 
gift becomes appreciable w^hen it is stated that 
for 50 years the only places of meeting were in 
manj- of the groves surrounding Providence. 
The building was erected on the corner of what 
is now North Main and Smith streets. He was 
a man of considerable means for those days, and 
might have been very wealthy but for his high 
sense of public duty, which comprehended not 
onlj' extending his labors to the colony but also 
his purse, and during his long pastorate he 
refused all compeusatiou for his serv^ices. He 



died Jan. 29, 1718, regretted and honored by 
the entire community. Many of his descend- 
ants have been among the mo.st illustrious men 
of New England, ever}- generation producing 
some members who became distinguished either 
as jurists, scholars, statesmen or divines. 

The Rev. John Tillinghast, father of Pardon 
E., was born Oct. 3, 1812, at West Greenwich, 
R. I., and died March 28, 1878. He began 
preaching soon after he was 23 years old, and 
on Oct. 8, 1840, was ordained pastor of the 
West Greenwich Baptist church, ser\-ing in this 
capacity- for 38 years. His mother was the 
daughter of Elisha Avery, a veteran of the war 
of 1812, and was born March 2, 1834. He died 
at Sag Harbor while in the service of his countrj-. 

TING LEY, George S., was born in Central 
Falls, June 23, 1858, and was the fourth child 
of John W. and Eliza (Newell) Tingley. He 
received his education in the public schools of 
Pawtucket and at the Highland Military Acad- 
emy, Worcester, Mass. After he was graduated 
from the latter institution he entered the flour 
and grain business with his father in the old 
gri.st mill that stood on the site now occupied 
by the electric light station of the Messrs. Goff, 
and was afterwards connected with Martin & 
Lane, dealers in mill supplies and special agents 
for the Jewell Belting Co., of Hartford, Conn. 
He resigned this position in 1S85 and then 
became traveling salesman for the R. Bliss 
Manufacturing Co. of Pawtucket, R. I. He 
was chosen its .secretary upon the death of Mr. 
C. E. Clark and held this position until Sep- 
tember, 1894, when he became connected with 
the Paine Lumber Co., of Oskhosh, Wis., in 
the sale of sa.shes, blinds and doors throughout 
New England, with headquarters at Pawtucket, 
and is at present their New England manager. 
In politics Mr. Tingley is a staunch Republican 
and was for a number of years chairman of the 
Republican city committee. He was a member 
ot the Pawtucket city council in 1892 and 1893 
but declined a renomination for another year. 
He is a member of the Knights of Honor, Royal 
Arcanum, New England Railroad Club, with 
headquarters in Boston ; Pawtucket Business 
Men's A.s.sociatiou and the Garfield Club. He 



462 



ILLl'STRATKD HISTORY OF PAWTUCKHT. 



is also connected with the Rhode Island militia, 
having been appointed in 1883 quartermaster of 
the first battalion cavalry on the staff of Major 
Alexander Strauss. He occupied this position 
until the election of Brigadier General Hiram 
Kendall as brigade commander when he was 
appointed brigade quartermaster, which posi- 
tion he now holds. In religion Mr. Tingle\- is 
a Baptist. On Nov. 19, 1884, he married Nellie 
S. Bullock, daughter of Albert N. Bullock o( 
Pawtucket. and the issue of this union is three 
children: Mary Bullock, b. Jan. 29, 1886; 
John Wesley, b. Aug. i, 1S89: and Albert 
Dunham, b. July 11, 1893. 

TRESCOTT, Waldo, of the firm of Bucklin 
& Trescott, manufacturers of leather belting, 
was born Oct. 14, 1849, in Providence, R. I., 
where he attended the public schools and was 
graduated from the high school when he was 
18 years old. He then entered the employ of 
James Uavis & Co., belt manufacturers of Paw- 
tucket, learned the business and was finally 
advanced to be co-manager with Charles R. 
Bucklin. When the Davis plant was destroyed 
by fire, Mr. Trescott formed a co-partnership 
with Charles R. Bucklin and under the firm 
name of Bucklin «& Trescott they manufacture 
leather belting and lace leather at 66 North 
Main street. They have a well eijuipped i)lant 
and do an extensive business. 

In politics Mr. Trescott is a Republican. 
He belongs to Union Lodge, No. i, A. F. & A. 
M., of which he is Past Master; to Royal Arch 
Chapter ; is Past Commander of Holy Sepul- 
chre Commandery ; to the Scottish Rite, and to 
Palestine Temple, of the Mystic Shrine. He 
attends the Fir.st Congregational church. He 
was married to Lucj' F. Street. His first 
wife died and he was married the second 
time to Agnes Mac Andrew, of Forestville, N. 
Y., by which union there are three children : 
Waldo, Jr., Margaret F. and Clifford A. 

The Trescott family on the paternal side 
came from England and settled originally in 
Connecticut, afterwards coming to Providence 
where they have since lived. On the maternal 
side the family is traced back to the early set- 
tlement of Plj^mouth colony. Lindamon Crins, 



Mr. Trescott's grandfather, was aide-de-camp 
on the staff of Napoleon I. during the whole of 
his career. 

TURNER, John D., is the son of Charles 
and Ivlizabelh (Davis) Turner and was born 
Jan. 24, 1859, in Manchester, England, where 
he attended school until he was 16 years old. 
His father being colonel of an English artillery- 
regiment, intended him for the army, but he was 
incapacitated by losing the sight of his right eye. 
He then entered the employ of Mason, Chapman 
& Holland, dyers and finishers of velvets, cor- 
duroys etc., and learned the business thor- 
oughly. In 1880 he was employed by Cooper 
Bros., as assistant superintendent to William 
Taylor. 

In 1885 he came to Rhode Island and 
located at Crompton, town of Warwick, being 
general supervisor of the cotton velvet business 
of the Crompton Co. In 1886 he became inter- 
ested in the velvet mill projected by W. F. & 
F. C. Sayles, but this project was abandoned 
owing to national tariff legislation. Mr. Turner 
was then given employment in the Sayles bleach- 
eries, and now has charge of the grey goods 
department at the old bleacher}-. Meanwhile 




JOHN D. TURNER, 
ONTRACTOR AND eulLOER AND REAL ESTATE AGENT. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



463 



he devotes his evenings to soliciting insurance. 
He represents the Providence Washington Fire 
Insurance Co., of Providence, R. I., and the 
Mutual Reserve Fund Life Association of New 
York. 

In politics Mr. Turner is a staunch Repub- 
lican. In 1894 and 1895 he was collector of 
taxes for the town of Lincoln. He is chairman 
of the Lincoln Republican Town Committee, 
and a member of the Republican State Central 
Committee. He is one of the charter members 
of Loyal Washington Lodge, I. O. O. F., M. 
U. ; also Blackstone Senate, Knights An- 
cient Essenic Order, and a member of the 
Royal Societ}' of Good Fellows. At present he 
is a Noble Grand of Loyal Lincoln Lodge, I. O. 
O. F., at Saylesville. Feb. 23, 1884, he was 
married to Mary A. Robinson of Lanca.shire, 
England, by which union there have been three 
children : Lillian, b. in England ; Florence, b. 
in Paterson, N. J.; and Maud, b. in Sayles- 
ville, R. I. 

UPHAn, Lester Wayland, the second son 
of Lucian and Amy Mason (Kelton) Upham, 
was born in Pawtucket, R. I., June 22, 1858. 
His father is a nature of Dudley, Mass., and is 
a descendant of the earliest New England family 
of that name. His mother is a native of Johnston, 
R. I. His education began and closed at the 
Church Hill school. He was one of the later coterie 
of ' ' Church Hill boys, ' ' who flourished as amateur 
printers, and later engaged in the manufacture 
of jewelers' cards, etc., in Providence, which 
business for a time was successful. May 12, 
1 88 1, he entered the Gazette and Chronicle 
office in order to complete his knowledge of the 
printing business, which he did in a short space 
of time, and in a thorough manner. He became 
foreman of the office in April, 1887, and in Jan- 
uar)-, 1894, became a partner with Mr. Lee. 

He is a member of the Master Printers Asso- 
ciation of Rhode Island, the Knights of Pythias, 
the Red Men, American Benefit Society, Ancient 
Order of Essenic Knights, and other fraternal 
societies, and has ably filled several important 
offices in some of them. He is very popular 
with all his associates. He was married May 
12, 1880, to Ella A. Atwood of Providence. 



WADSWORTH, John, was the sixth child 
of John and Sara (Woodward) Wadsworth, and 
was born at Strong, Me., in 1831. His father 
was a shipbuilder and a farmer. The ancestor 
of the Wadsworths came to America early in 
the seventeenth century and settled in Duxburj-, 
Mass., in which vicinit}- the family has always 
been prominent. Henry Wadsworth Longfel- 
low, the poet, was a member of the famih' 
through his mother. John, Jr., attended the 
public schools of his native state until he was 16 
years old, and then worked on a farm until he 
was 21. He then, in 1852, went to Brockton, 
Ma.ss., and spent three years in learning the 
trade of a tin-plate and sheet-iron worker. At 
the end of that time he opened a stove store and 
tin shop at Wej-mouth, Mass., but three years 
later removed his business to Randolph, Mass., 
and in i860 went to New Sharon, Me., where 
he opened a large stove and funiace store. In 
1866 he came to Pawtucket and worked for 
Sumner Fifield for five years, when he went to 
Fall River and engaged in the dry and fancy 
goods business. He returned to Pawtucket in 
1891 and started the tin, sheet-iron, copper, 
plumbing and steam fitting business, which he 
now carries on at 21 North Union street under 
the name of the Wadsworth Manufacturing Co. 

Mr. Wadsworth is a member of the Baptist 
church, and belongs to the Free Masons. He 
was married in 1854 to Elizabeth Leonard of 
Brockton, Mass., and they have had seven 
children : Charles Thomas, George Melvin, 
John Franklin, Mary Ella, John Franklin, 2d ; 
Arthur Leonard, and Frederick Woodward. 

WALKER, John Herbert, was born in 
North Providence, May 14, 1848, and was the 
fourth child of John and Nancy (Harrop) 
Walker. His father was a native of vStockport, 
England, came to this country in 1S40, and 
.ser\ed during the war of the rebellion in the 
Rhode Island Heavy Artillery. John H. 
attended the public schools until he was 12 
years of age. He then worked in a cotton mill 
for several years and during the war was em- 
ployed in what was known as Burnside's rifle 
factory, which was subsecjuently converted into 
the Rhode Island Locomotive Works, Provi- 



464 



ILLUvSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 




JOHN H. WALKER, 

CHIEf ENGINEER. PUMPING STATIONS, PAWTUCKET WATER WORKS. 

deuce. After the war he went to work at the 
trade of a steam fitter. In January, 1879, he 
entered the employment of tlie city as engineer, 
and took charge of No. i Pumping Engine im- 
mediately after its acceptance by the city, and 
at the present time he has the superintendency 
of the entire pumping plants connected with the 
cit>-. Mr. Walker has made a close study 
of and has devoted his entire time to the perfect- 
ing of and the economical operation of pumping 
engines. He has been enabled to sec whereb}' 
he could improve their operation and efficiencj^ 
and from time to time has applied his know- 
ledge to good effect, .so that to-daj- the city is in 
possession of a pumping plant that cannot be 
excelled either in ojjerating or economy. As 
an instance No. i Engine maj- be cited : the 
duty test was made b)' G. H. Corliss, before its 
acceptance by the city, using the very be.st coal 
that could be found in the market, the engine 
made on a two weeks' test, a duty of 104,000,- 
000 foot-pounds. The engine to-day is making 
a yearly duty of 124,000,000 foot-pounds, run- 
ning 12 hours per day, and this after 19 years 
operation. Mr. Walker's yearly reports has 
been closely studied by mechanical engineers 
and water works officials, and his sj'stem of 



operation has been largely adopted throughout 
the countr>'. He is at the present time in re- 
ceipt of a large correspondence as to the eco- 
nomical operation of large steam plants. 

He has been a faithful, conscientious servant 
of the cit\-, anil his work has evidently been ap- 
preciated. He was a member of the fire depart- 
ment for a number of years and was captain of 
No. 3 Engine Co. when he resigned to accept his 
present situation. In politics Mr Walker is a 
Republican. He is charter member of the 
Legion of Honor, he is also a Free Mason, a char- 
ter member of Mount Horab Lodge, Knights of 
the Ancient Essenic Order, and a member of the 
Veteran Firemen's Association. In 1870 he 
was married to Sarah Jackson, and they have 
three children: Fred. Adelaide, and Clifford. 

WALKER, General William R., was born 
in vSeekonk, Mass., (now East Providence, R. 
I.) April 14, 1830, the son of Alfred and Huldah 
Burdeen, (Perry) Walker. He is a descendant 
in the third generation of John Walker of Reho- 
both, Mass., who was a sergeant in the ]\Iinute 
Men from Rehobolh, in the Lexington Alarm, 
and in service during the war of the revolution. 

John Walker was descended in the fourth 
generation from the "Widow \\'alker," who 
came into the Plxniouth colony at a dale 
unknown, and who was previous to 1643 one of 
the purchasers and proprietors of the town of 
Rehoboth. Who her husband was, or what 
part of the old country she came from is 
unknown, but that she and her two sons were 
founders of the family of Walkers in Southern 
Massachcsetts is unquestioned. 

The subject of this sketch attended the 
public school of his native town, and after 
graduating from " The Seekonk Classical Semi- 
nary" in 1846, became a builder's apjirentice in 
Providence, R. I., serving for a term of three 
j-ears, during which time he studied archi- 
tectual drawing at Schofield's College. In the 
winter of 1 850-1 he was located in Augusta, 
Ga., returning to Rhode Island in the summer 
of 1851 and located in Pawtucket, where he has 
since resided. He has been closely identified 
with public life in his cil\- and state, having 
served as a member of the town councils of both 



ii"; ■'..■■ .' t' 






wrrrrccrri uFPWLi it *** — ^ 

^ [" I If F y£§JEJI£l££g|^||Bli|JilMll 





FRONT VIEW OF THE WORKS OF THE HOWARD & BULLOUGH AMERICAN MACHINE CO. (LIMITED). 




REAR VIEW OF THE WORKS OF THE HOWARD & BULLOUGH AMERICAN MACHINE CO. (LIMITED). 



466 



ILLTTSTRATKD HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



North Proviik-iicc and I'awtucket, and also 
having served both t<.inis as a member of the 
General Assembly. At the breaking out of the 
rebellion in iS6i he was commissioned first 
lieutenant of Co., ]■'.. First Regiment R. I. 
Detached Militia, and ser\cd until the muster- 
ing out of his regiment. In 1864 he established 
himself as an architect in the city of Provi- 
dence, in which profession, in connection with 
his son. Col. W. Howard Walker he is still 
engaged. 

General \\'alkcr served in the stale militia 
for more than twenty years, retiring with the 
rank of major general. He is a member of 
Massachusetts Commandery, Military Order of 
the I^oyal Legion ; member of and Past Com- 
mander of Tower Post, G. A. R., and at the 
present time is a member of the board of park 
commissioners of the city of Pawtucket. In 
politics he is a Republican, and was a delegate 
to the Republican National Convention at 
Chicago in 1888. He became a member of 
Union Lodge, No. 10, A. F. and A. M., Paw- 
tucket, in 1857, received his capitular degrees 
in Pawtucket Royal Arch Chapter, No. 4, 
was knighted in Holy Sepulchre Commandery, 
No. S, in 1871, and ser\-ed three years as Emin- 
ent Commander of that body. He is a member 
of Providence Consistory, Ancient and Accepted 
Scottish Rite, 32d degree, and of Palestine Tem- 
ple, Nobles of the Mj-stic Shrine. In the Grand 
Commandery of Knights Templars of Massachu- 
-setts and Rhode Island, he has filled the several 
offices of Grand Lecturer, Grand Standard 
Bearer, Grand Junior Warden, Grand Senior 
Warden, Grand Captain General, Grand Gen- 
eralissimo, Deputy Grand Commander, and in 
October. 1896, was elected Grand Commander, 
which position he now holds. 

General W'alker was married in 1S52, to 
Miss Eliza B. Hall, daughter of Nathan Hall of 
Providence. She passed away Feb. 21, 1895. 
They had two children : George Clinton Walker, 
b. Nov. 7, 185-^, d. June i, 188;; ; William How- 
ard Walker, b. Jan. 19, 1856, who is still living 
and resides in Pawtucket. 

WALKER, William W., son of Peter and 
Amelia (Hurlan) Walker, was born in Lanca- 



shire, England, wlnre he received hisearly edu- 
cation. He learned the trade of a bleacher, 
under his father, ami in 1 .S55 he came to America 
anil joined with his uncli- who was employed at 
the bleacheries of W. 1'. .S: F. C. Sayles. at 
Saylesville. He niasterc-d the details o( the 
business, and is now superintendent, with a 
supervision over the processes of manufacture 
and also over the emploj-ees. In politics he is 
a Republican. He is a member of the Sayles 
Memorial church, at Saylesville. He belongs 
to Good Samaritan Lodge, I. O. O. I'"., and to 
the Order of Royal Good Fellows. In 185,^ he 
was married to Sarah Greenhalge of Manchester, 
England, by which union there are three child- 
ren : John M., b. in England, James W. and 
Eliza, b. in vSaylesville. 

WARLAND, Charles Alfred, real estate 
broker and auctioneer, 48 East avenue, Paw- 
tucket, is the son of John and Priscilla (Hill) 
Warland, and was born April 11, 1830, on 
Appian Way, Cambridge, Mass., where he 
attended the public schools. At an early age 
he was employed in the commission house of 
Charles Wilkins & Co., dealers in cotton, coffee, 
tea, etc., where he remained until he was 21 
years old. He then was connected with the 
shipping business and traveled extensiv'ely 
through the western states. In 1856 he caine 
to Pawtucket and entered the counting room of 
the James S. Brown machine shops, and later 
was admitted into partnership, the firm name 
being changed to James S. Brown & Sons. 

In 1868 he became interested in real estate 
and opened the first office devoted solely to the 
purchase and sale of this class of property, in 
the Almy block, near the bridge, where he was 
located until 1874, where he removed to his 
present location. Mr. Warland's business has 
principally been that of a broker and auctioneer, 
making purchases, and selling and managing 
estates. Among the latter were the Jenks, the 
Goff, and the Weeden properties. The courts 
have frequently recognized Mr. Warland's ex- 
perience and judgment by commissioning him 
to apportion estates among heirs, and the city 
of Pawtucket has employed him to value prop- 
ertj' condemned for public u.ses. 





HENRY C. L. DORSEY 
SIGN PAINTER. 



JOHN P. SMITH, 

MdNAGEB FOB EDWARO SK 





WILLIAM H. GRIMES. 



JOHN H. BRANAGHAN. 



468 



ILLUSTRATl' 1) HISTORY () !• PAWTUCKKT. 



Aui;. i,v 1S72, Mr. W'ailaiul was appoinUnl 
by the governor and council of Massachusetts a 
connnissioner in Rhode Island (or the " admin- 
istering of oaths, taking depositions, affidavits, 
acknowledgments of deeds and other instru- 
ments," to be used in the state of Massachu- 
setts, which office he held until Dec. 17, 1S93 — 
a period of 21 years — at which time he gave up 
the office. 

While a niend)er of the town council he, 
with others, rendered imi>ortaul ser\ice ]>y 
instituting a correct system of accounts in the 
police department. He was tax assessor in 
1S74. He is a 32d degree Mason and belongs 
to Barney Merry Lodge, No. 29, A. F. and A. 
M.; Pawtucket Royal Arch Chapter, No. 4,; 
Pawtucket Council, No. 2, R. and S. Masters: 
Holy Sepulchre Conunandery, No. cS ; Rhode 
Island Consistory A. A. vS. Rite; Palestine 
Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., Providence, R. I. 
Oct. iS, 1S55, he was married to Mary Dana, 
daughter of James S. Brown of Pawtucket, Ijv 
which union there was one child, Sarah J., b. 
Aug. 15, 1S61; Oct. 2S, i,S,S6, she married 
Horace W. Davenport, and she d. April 5, 1S90, 
by w'hich union there is one child, H. Warland 
Davenport, b. Aug. 21, 1SS7. 

The time of the arrival of the ancestor of 
the W'arland family in America is not definitely 
known, but the date 1679 is safely authentic 
for this branch, as in that year is found recorded 
April 3, the marriage of Owen (1) Warland to 
Hannah Gay, at Cambridge, Mass. The records 
also show that Owen Warland purchased from 
John Shepard the estate located on the north- 
west corner of Holyoke and South streets ; also 
that he was a constable in 1697. He had two 
children: William, b. March 27, 1680, and 
Rebecca ; the exact date of his death is uncer- 
tain, but it is probable that both husband and 
wife died before 1718. 

William (2) was twice married. I'irst to 
Tabitha, daughter of Jacob Hill, I'eb. 3, 1701-2, 
who d. Jan. 1717-18, aged 34. ,Secoiid to .\nne, 
daughter of Captain Josiah Parker, Jul.\' 3, 17 iS. 
He had ten children : William, b. Oct. 3, 1706, 
d. Aug. 23, 1708; Sarah, baptised Jan. 9, 1708- 
9, d. Oct. 5, 1712 ; Tabitha, b. March 3, 1710- 



11; .Sarah, b. 1713: Rebecca baptised Sept. 4, 
1713, (1. Jan. 24, 1716-17; William, baptised 
March 29, 1719: Thomas, bajitised Aug. 13, 
1721 : Owen, ba])tised June 2, 1723; John, 
ba]itised Dec. 11, 1726, d. .Sept. 29, 1727. 

The line of descent is through Joiix (3), 
who married Mary Manning, .Sejit. 26, 1754. 
He had two children : John, b. July 16, 1755 ; 
William, baptised May 25. 1760, d. Oet. 6, 
1762, His mother married William Darling, 
whom she survi\-ed, and d. May 22, 1817. 

The line of descent is through the oldest 
child, John (4), who was married twace : first 
to Hannah Prentice, March 12, 1776, who d. 
Aug. 12, 1.S03 : the .second to vSarah Palmer, 
Feb. 5, 1806. He had nine children: Hannah, 
1). June 14, 1778, d. Dec. 28, 1878; John, b. 
Dec. 28, 1779; William, b. March .S, 17.S2; 
Poll\-, baptised Feb. 29, 1784, m. Jason Howe, 
Nov. 28, 1805 ; Ebenezer, baptised Feb. 12, 
1786; Charles, bapti.sed Dec. 16, 1787, d. Sept., 
1788; Charles, b. 1789, d. Feb. 9, 1717 ; Han- 
nah, b. (about) Dec, 1792, d. Sept. 4, 1793. 
He died Nov. 20, 1809. His wife survived him. 

The line of descent is through John (5) 
who was married three times and d. Feb. 15, 
1852. His first wife was Sarah, daughter of 
Joseph Bates, m. June 20, 1805, who d. Aug. 
23, 1824. His second wife was Priscilla Hill, 
m. Sept. 8, 1825, d. May 16, 1830. He mar- 
ried his third wife, Mary Ann Phelps of Marl- 
brongli, Mass. April 6, 1833. His children : 
Sarah, b. May 20, and d. June 29, i8o6 ; John 



Henry, b. April 20, if 



graduated from Har- 



vard College, 1827; Mary Madelia, b. Jan. 21, 
1809; Theodore, b. June 21, 1812, graduated 
from Harvard College, 1832 ; Alfred, b. April 
9. 1S14, d. vSept. 19, 1817 ; Charles Horace, b. 
Sept. iS, 1816, d. Nov. 21, 1819: .Sarah .\nn. 
b. Nov. 9, 1818, d. Nov. I, i.'~;74; .Vnn b'.Ii/.a- 
betli, 1). .Xjiril 21, 1.S22, d. August, 1888: Caro- 
line Priscilla, b. July 17, 1826; d. March 30, 
iSy.S; Henrietta 1 lill, b. June 24, 1828 ; Chari,i-:s 
.Vi.i'Kici), b. April 11, iS3i>; Edward Merrick, 
b. March iS, 1834; Francis Horace, b. Ma\ 7, 
1836, d. June 8, 1865; Kmily Phelps, b. .Vinil 
9, 1838, died Dec. 30, 1888 ; P'rances Bates, b. 
June 6, 1 84 1. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



469 



WASSMER, John H. The tea, coffee and 
spice business forms one- ol the most important 
branches of trade in this city and one of the 
leading stores in that line of goods is the 
Importers Tea House, 320 Main street, which is 
in charge of the above mentioned genial gentle- 
man. He has been in this city but a few years 
and during that time has made a host of friends 
who are pleased at his evident suceess. Mr. 
Wassmer was born at Newark, N. J., Nov. 14, 
1859, and is the third child of Christian and 
Catherine (Read) Wassmer, both of whom were 
born at Baden, Germany, the former coming to 
this country- in 1847 and the later in 1844. 
They settled at Newark and later removed to 
Paterson, N. J., where Mr. Wassmer attended 
the public schools until he was 12 ^-ears of age. 
After working on a farm for a short time he 
obtained employment in a retail tea store, where 
he remained until he was 22 years of age. In 
1 88 1 he started in business for himself and in 
the following year opened a retail store at 
Paterson, which he gave up in a short time as it 
proved to be not a paying investment. He 
continued in the tea business, having a route 
which paid well until 1887, when he came to 
Providence and obtained employment in one of 
the large department stores, in a short time 
being made manager of the tea department, a 
position which he held for three years. In 1890 
he acted as a salesman and in the following 
3-ear he started a route in Pawtucket, which he 
attended to personally for three years, opening 
a store in this citj' in 1894. The store has 
proved to be a success, and Mr. Wassmer has 
built up a large trade by his fair dealing and 
pleasant personality. 

In conjunction with the store he owns and 
manages six different routes which, with the 
store, show an increase in trade and receipts 
every year. His success is pleasing as he is 
what is termed a self made man, having risen to 
his present influential and responsible position 
entirely b)- his own individual efforts. On May 
8, 1887, he was united in marriage to Miss 
Reguina Hummell of Paterson, N. J., and the 
result of the union is two bright children, 
William B. and Emma B. 



WATJEN, Henry E., the fourth child of 
Ernest Henry and Louisa (Boettcher) Watjen, 
was born in the city of Sehausen, Prussia, Jan. 
13, 1854. Leading members of the Watjen 
family were prominent importing merchants for 
many generations in Bremer Haven, Germany. 
Henry received his education in the government 
schools in his native city, and when fifteen 
years old went to work in the shop of his father, 
who was a furniture manufacturer. Late in 
1870, when seventeen j-ears old, he came to 
America, and worked in furniture manufactories 
as a cabinet maker in Boston and Charle.stown. 
Afterwards, for five years, he was engaged in 
the manufacture of potter\- in Manchester, N. 
H., as a member of the firm of Klenike & 
Watjen. Selling out his interest in this business, 
he became an insurance agent and a dealer in 
real estate and has since followed those lines. 
He came to Pawtucket in 1889, and in 1891 
entered into a partnership with Walter M. 
Robbins under the firm name of Watjen & 
Robbins, for the transaction of a general insur- 
ance and real estate business. In 1894 the firm 
organized the Home Building Co., (incorpor- 
ated) which carries on one of the largest real 
estate and building business in Rhode Island. 
Mr. Watjen was president until July, 1S96, 
when he sold out his interest to the company 
and also dissolved his partnership with Mr. 
Robbins. Mr. Watjen still carries on the insur- 
ance and real estate business but removed his 
office in September to 26 High .street, while Mr. 
Robbins manages the Home Building Co. In 
politics Mr. Watjen was formerly a Republican, 
but for some years he has been a Prohibitionist. 
He is a member of the Pleasant View Baptist 
Church, and belongs to Charles E. Chickeriug 
Lodge, No. 20, Knights of Pythias. March 27, 
1877, he was married to Emma F. Palmer, and 
they have had three children : Emma Lizzie, b. 
July 24, 1878; William Edward, b. Dec. 13, 
1881 ; Henry Erne.st, b. Dec. 11, 1883 ; CarlC, 
b. Dec. 12, 1885, d. July 24, 1887. 

WATSON, William F., M. D., was born in 
Buxton, Me., vSept. 6, 1852, and was the sixth 
child of Nathaniel M. and Mary A. (Purkiss) 
Watson. The American ancestor of the family 



47° 



ILLUSTR ATICI) HISTORY ( ) !• I'AW T U C K I'.T 



came to New England soon after tin.- huulini; of 
the Pilgrims. For generations the family was 
prominent in Saco, Me., and there the grand- 
father of William P. lived and died. The 
Watsons were typical New Ivnglanders, with 
the severe and strict notions of their Puritan 
ancestry. William P. attended the Gorhani 
Acadeni\ in his nati\e state. He then went to 
New York, studieil in Bellevue PIos])ital 
Medical College and was graduated from the 
Medical College there in iJ^jy. Soon after he 
opened an office at (lorham. Me., where he 
practiced for ten \ears, when he removed to 
Dover, N. II., and remained there until he 
removed to Pawtucket in 1S94. He has 
developed an excellent practice, and is now one 
of the most successful physicians in tlie com- 
mnnitN'. 

Dr. Watson is an attendant of the Congre- 
gational church, and belongs both to the Free 
Ma.sons and the Odd Fellows. He has been 
married three times. His first wife d. Sept. 17, 
1883, leaving no children ; hissecond wifed. .Sept. 
6, 1888, leaving one child, Margaret C, who is 
now- living. He was married to his present 
wife Sept. 7, 1892, to whom was born a son, 
Robert N., who died July 25, 1S94. 

VVARBURTON, Henry Ashton, descends 
from an old English Quaker famii>-. His grand- 
father, Jacob Warburton, was born in lUiry, 
Lancashire, England, July 2, 17S2, was a hand 
loom weaver and came from a famil\ of farmers. 
His grandmother, Sarah Ashton Warburton, 
was also born in Bury, April 9, 17S4, and her 
family were farmers. His father was born in 
Bury, Feb. 8, 1806, and was well known as a 
successful manager of cotton mills ; he was a 
distinguished inendjer of the Society of F'riends, 
came to the United States in 1852, and died in 
Lawrence, Mass., in 1879. His mother was 
Sarah Ta>lor, born in Barnsley, Derbyshire, 
fuigland, Jul\- 20, 1S08. Her amiability ami 
gentleness of character endears her memory to 
her children. Her patience was often tried by 
her large family of twehe children, nine sons 
and three daughters. 

Henry Ashton Warburton was born in the 
town of Hyde, Cheshire, England, Nov. 2, 



1S37, and is the sixth child of Peter and .Sarah 
(Taylor) Warlnirton. He attended the public 
schools of his nati\c town until he attained his 
eighth \ear, when he entered the cotton mill, 
and until his loth year his time was e(|nan>- 
divided Ijetween school and work. With the 
knowledge thus obtained he started in lite at 
the tender age of 10 years. He came to this 
country with his father in 1852, secnretl em- 
ployment as a ])iecer on hand spinning mules 
at Portsmouth, N. H., and availed himself of 
the local night school to enlarge liis general 
knowledge. In 1853 he engaged in mule spin- 
ning in Lawrence, Mass., and operated a pair of 
sisinning mules for seven years. He also worked 
at file-cutting by macliinery at Ballardvale, 
Mass., then returned to Portsmouth, N. H., 
where he was assistant overseer in the Ports- 
mouth steam mill, and was transferred to the 
thread department, where he obtained the know- 
ledge which contributed to his final success. 

He also worked in Newmarket, Exeter, N. 
H., was assistant overseer of the Hadley Thread 
Co., of Holyoke, Mass., and was overseer of 
the Warren Thread Co., of Worcester, Ma.ss. 
In the latter cit\- he engaged with W'illiam 
Ward of Portmouth, N. H., the owner of a 
distillery, of which he was induced to take 
charge, and though he remained over three 
years, testing all kin<ls of alcoholic liquors by 
ta.ste and smell, he yet never drank a drop. He 
then returned to his old business in 1S77, 
accepting a position as overseer of the winding 
room with William Warren of New York citj-, 
thread manufacturer. In 18S0 he came to Paw- 
tucket as overseer and then became superintend- 
ent of Stafford & Co.'s works. In company 
with James C. Roth in 1886 he purchased this 
company's thread department and organized the 
New England Thread Co., he lieing general 
manager. His vast experience in the manufac- 
ture of threads peculiarly fitted him to i)roduce 
a superior article, which was soon obser\-ed by 
the trade, and although he had to contend with 
many obstacles he steadily succeeded in e.stab- 
lishing a lucrative business. In 1889 Mr. 
Roth died and he purchased his interest from 
the heirs, thus becoming sole proprietor. He 




^ 


'' "^jI 


^1^ 


i^^M^mi 



JOHN H. BARBER, 

IVERYMAN, CENTRAL FALU: 



WILLIAM HALL, 

TENOENT WOOL SPINNING DEPARTMENT, LORRAir 



1^ 



^;» 




WILLIAM M. HOLLIDAY, 

OF THE TROY STEAM LAUNDRY. 



GEORGE W. JONES, 





CHARLES A. LEACH, 
OVERSEER HOPE THREAD MILL 



ALEXANDER LESLIE, 

FOREMAN WHITE GOODS DEPARTMENT, SAYLES' BLEACHERIES. 



472 



IIvIvUSTRATKD HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



employs over loo hands and does a gross busi- 
ness of from $135,000 to $150,000 per annum in 
the manufacture of cotton thread, tapes and 
specialties, and the demand for his goods is so 
great that he experiences much difficulty in 
supplying his agents in New York, Chicago 
and Boston. In 1 1 years his business has 
increased four- fold. 

In 1893 Mr. Warburton bought the Cooper 
mills, so called, corner Cottage and Saunders 
streets, and although his new quarters were 
thought to be ample for 10 3'ears' growth, he 
finds that by the addition of $3,000 worth of 
new machinery now ordered and promised by 
Jan. I, 1897, nearly all the available space will 
be taken up. 

In national and state affairs, Mr. Warbur- 
ton is a Republican, but in local matters is 
guided entirely in his political actions by con- 
sideration of the city's best interests, regardless 
of party. 

Sept. 8, 1862, he was married to Jane H. 
Critchley, daughter of William and Mary 
Critchley of Portsmouth, N. H., the result of 
this union being three children: Franklin E., 
b. in Portsmouth, N. H., Aug. 19, 1863; Flor- 
ence E., b. in Worcester, Mass., Sept. 13, 1868 ; 
and Harry A., b. in Portsmouth, N. H., May 
II, 1877. Franklin E. is superintendent of the 
mills, Harry A. is clerk and Mr. Warburton's 
son-in-law, Frank H. Cirover, is the shipper. 

WEATHERHEAD, George, .senior memlier 
of the firm of Weatherhead, Thompson & Co., 
is the sixth child of James W. and Ruth (Brown) 
Weatherhead, and was born Aug. 13, 1830, in 
Cumberland, R. I. He attended the public 
schools of his native town and completed his 
education in Wilkinson's private school, at Paw- 
tucket. His first occupation was on a farm, but 
not finding this employment either congenial or 
profitable he abandoned its pursuit ; and in 
1852 he came to Pawtucket and engaged in the 
grocery business with Andrew Jenks. In 1857 
he purchased Mr. Jenk's interest, conducted the 
business alone for a year, and then sold out. In 
the same j^ear he entered into partnership with 
John E. Thompson and they estal)lished their 
present business of the manufacture of standard 



oak tanned leather belting, lace, picker and raw 
hide leather; manufacturers' and mill supplies, 
thread and silk spools, at 447 Mill street. Cen- 
tral F'ulls. The business is now carried on under 
the firm name of Weatherhead, Thompson & Co. 
This firm has one of the largest and best equipped 
plants in New England, and its business is co- 
extensive with its plants and facilities. 

In politics Mr. Weatherhead is a Republi- 
can. He attends the Universalist churh. Mr. 
Weatherhead comes from an old New England 
famih'. His father was born in Cumberland, 
Nov. 15, 1787, and died at the same place, 
March 11, 1850. He was a farmer and stock 
raiser. His mother was born in Cumberland, 
Aug. 18, 1794, and died Sept. 13, 1883, aged 89. 
The average life of the immediate parents of 
George was 8r years, a remarkable record of 
longevitj-. 

WEATHERHEAD, John, of O Connor & 
Weatherhead, marble and granite workers, 4 
Waldo street, is the sixth child of Daniel and 
Susan (Clark) Weatherhead, and was born Dec. 
22, 1850. When 10 3^ears old he went to work 
on a farm, and attended school in the winter 
until he was 16 years old. He then learned 
the trade of stone cutting with Royal C. 
Whipple at Diamond Hill, where he worked for 
about seven years. He then came to Paw- 
tucket and entered the employ of Matthew 
Leach. His work and the conditions of the 
business necessitated traveling about, and he has 
been engaged in nearly all the principal marble 
and granite quarries in New England. In 1888 
he went into partnership with John F. O'Coimor, 
under the firm name of O'Connor & Weather- 
head, at No. 7 Exchange street. Later they 
moved to their present quarters, where they 
operate an extensive and well equipped plant 
and conduct a prosperous business. He belongs 
to the Odd Fellows, A. O. U. W., and the Cen- 
tral Falls Veteran Firemen's Association. He 
attends the Broad street Baptist church. July 
31, 1877, he was married to Ellen A. Darling, 
of Woonsocket. Mr. Weatherhead comes from 
an old New luigland family. His father was 
born in Cumberland in 18 15, and his mother 
was bom in Douglas, Mass., in 1818. 



H I O C, R A P H I E S . 



473 



WEBB, George Henry, agent and treasurer 
of the Pawtucket Manufacturing Co., is the 
first child of John Browning and Sarah C. 
(Wilcox) Webb, and was born Nov. 17, 1845, 
at Simmonsville (now Thornton), in the town 
of Johnston, R. I., where he spent his bo}'hood. 
Before he was 11 years old he went to work in 
the Simmons cotton iliill, where he remained 
two years. He then worked on a farm, and later 
as a hostler. He next came to Pawtucket and 
worked as a grinder for the American File Co., 
where he remained until 1865. He again went 
to work on a farm for a short time. From the 
farm he went into the repair shop of the Sim- 
mons cotton mill and worked three months as a 
helper. He returned to Pawtucket in 1866 and 
was employed in the William H. Haskell bolt 
works, where he learned the trade of a ma- 
chinist and tool maker. He followed this occu- 
pation as a journeyman until 1881, when he 
associated himself with vStephen A. Jenks, 
Alvin F. Jenks, John R. Fales, and George 
Herbert Fowler, and started in the business of 
manufacturing bolts and nuts and the machinery 
for making bolts and nuts, under the name of 
the Pawtucket Manufacturing Co., located on 
Pine street. The machines made by this com- 
pany are in use throughout the United States 
and many of the European countries, including 
England, Scotland, Holland, Germanj-, France 
and Russia, and the company is one of the 
largest in its line. The business was a success 
from its inception. The output to-day is five 
times greater than it was a few years ago, and 
the product is increasing yearly. 

In politics Mr. Webb is a Republican. He 
belongs to the Masonic Fraternity and to the 
Order of Odd Fellows. Oct. 23, 1S68, he was 
married to Frances Herrick of Pawtucket, by 
which union there are four children : Alfred 
Jenks, b. May 3, 1869; Maria Lillian, b. Jan. 
29, 1871 ; Sarah Frances, b. Dec. 25, 1872 ; 
Annie Elizabeth, b. Nov. 12, 1876. His wife 
died March 26, 1879, and Aug. 30, 18S0, he 
was married to his second wife, Mrs. Joainia 
Jenks of Pawtucket. Mr. Webb descends from 
a very old New England family. 



WEEDEN, John Hull, was born Feb. 10, 
1 80 1, at Portsmouth, R. I., and died at Paw- 
tucket, Oct. 27, 1870. His ancestor, John Hull, 
came from London, England, in 1687. He 
built a house on the north end of Conanicut 
Island, Narragansett Bay, then occupied by the 
Indians, and his son was the fir.st white child 
born on the island. Mr. Weeden passed his 
childhood on the homestead estate and pursued 
his early classical studies at the academy at 
Kingston ; he then entered Brown Universit\-, 
Providence, from which he was graduated in 
1827 with the highest honors of the class; and 
was made tutor in 1828. He studied law in 
New York and was admitted to the bar in 1832. 
He practiced his profession and passed his life 
in Pawtucket. He ranked high in his profes- 
.sion both as a counsellor and advocate. For 
many j'ears he represented the town of North 
Providence in the General A.ssembl)^ From 
1840 to 1854 he was town clerk of North Provi- 
dence. He was also assessor of taxes. In 1833 
he was married to Sarah Bowen Sweetland, and 
by this union there were six daughters and two 
sons. The first son, Charles Wager, was ap- 
pointed corporal in the 3d regiment, R. I. Vol- 
unteers, Sept. 14, 1861, and died Nov., 1861, of 
typhoid fever contracted in the line of duty. 
The second son, John Hull, Jr., was the first 
Pawtucket bo)- to enter West Point Military 
Academy, from which he was graduated with 
honors in 1866. Upon his graduation he was 
assigned to his chosen corps, the engineers. 
He was ordered to the Pacific coast and thence 
transferred to the sur\-ey of the lakes. Later he 
was sent to San P'rancisco and thereafter to San 
Diego, where he spent the most important days 
of his life. He was intrusted with the details 
of the river and harbor impro\-enients of San 
Diego. He died Jan. 29, 1877, when but 33 
years old, the result of an accident. The 
daughters of Mr. Weeden are still living. 
Caroline is the wife of J. E. Clarner; Adelaide 
is the wife of Commodore Jefferson Maury ; Delia 
is the wife of Rev. Emery H. Porter; Jane is the 
wife of Fred Sherman; Eliza and Ellen are 
unmarried. 



474 



1 1, H' ST RAT I; I) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKICT. 



WESTCOTT, Frank Williams, dry fronds 
dealer, 253 Main slitct. was born, Dec. 14, 
1856, at Seekonk, Mass., where he Ii\e(l until 
he was 12 years old when his i)arents nioxed to 
Pawtucket, where he attended the public schools 
until he was 16 years old. He completed his 
education at the Bryant <.H: vStratton Business Col- 
lege, Providence, from which he was graduated. 
He then entered the dry goods .store of George 
Iv Allen, where he learned the business. 
In 1S76 he went into ])artnership with K. F. 
Howen, under the fnni name of Westcott iS: 
Bowen, which firm continued until 1882, when 
Mr. Westcott bought out his partner, and has 
since conducted the business alone. 

In politics he is a Republican. He is a 
member of the First Baptist church and society 
of Pawtucket. June 10, 1884, he was married to 
Al)bie 1,. Colwell, of Pawtucket. 

WHEATON, James Lucas, M. D., 1;, Sum 
nier street, is the second child of James and 
Martha (Hopkins) Wheatim, and was born 
March 14, 1823, in the village of Pawtucket, in 
the town of Seekonk, Mass. In 1828 a part <if 
the town of vSeekonk, known as the A'illage of 
Pawtucket in which he had li\ed, was cut off 
and was incorporated as the town of Pawtucket, 
Mass. Here James spent his boyhood and 
received his earl\- education. Having a predi- 
lection for the .study of medicine he was pre- 
pared for college, but his health failing he had 
to forego a collegiate course. Upon his return 
to health he prosecuted his medical studies 
with Drs. Manchester and Barrows, and com- 
pleted his medical education at the Berk.shire 
Medical College, Pittsfield, Mass., from which 
he was graduated in 1847, with the degree of 
M. D. He began the practice of his profession, 
June, 1847, in Pawtucket, Mass. In 1852 he 
moved across the river into Pawtucket, R. 1., 
where he has practiced his profession continu- 
ously for 50 years. There is probably no ph\ si- 
cian in Rhode Island who stands higher in the 
medical profe.ssion. 

In 1857-8 he represented the town of North 
Providence in the General Assembly and served 
as chairman of the connnittee on education. 
While occupying this position he strenuously 



pushed an amendment, to the laws to permit 
colored children to attend the public .schools in 
common w ith the whites, and also to permit the 
colored selidlars to enter the high schools : but 
the majoiit)- of the committee reported Ixick to 
the Assembl>- unfavorably and Dr. W'heaton 
had to content himself with presenting and 
having recorded a minuritv report which repre- 
sented his \-iews. The agitation resultant 
from this progressive measure, ultimately com- 
passed the end for which he so earnestly strove. 

May 15, 1850, he was married to Anna 
Maria, daughter of Charles and A. Eliza Jenckes, 
of Grafton, Mass., by which union there have 
been four children; Martha, who was twice mar- 
ried — her first husband. Dr. William P. White, 
died in 1870; her second husband is Dr. J. 
A. Chase now in practice in Pawtucket. Anna 
Frances, married S. Frank Dexter, managerof the 
Dexter Yarn Co., Pawtucket; Jessie L. died in 
1864; James Lucas, Jr., was graduated from 
Brown University, Providence, in 1891, and from 
Harvard Medical vSchool, in 1894, with the degree 
of M. D. He contiiuied his studies for a year at 
the University of Berlin, Germany, and is now 
associated with his father in the practice of his 
profession. 

Dr. Wheaton is of the seventh generation 
of this family in America. The connnon founder, 
Robert Wheaton, came to Salem, Mass., in 
1636, suppo.sed from Swanzey, South Wales, 
where he was born in 1606, and died at Reho- 
both, Mass., in 1696. The line of descent of 
the Pawtucket branch of the family is through 
Rev. Ephraim, ninth child of Robert, who d. at 
Rehoboth, April 26, 1734. Robert, b. July 14, 
1688 ; Andrew, great grandfather of Dr. Wheaton 
was born Aug. 15, 1721; Lucas, the grandfather, 
was b. Sept. 25, 1748, died at Rehoboth. 
James, father of Dr. Wheaton, came to Paw- 
tucket in iSin; d. in iSSo. Dr. Wheaton's 
mother was Martha Hopkins, 1). in Pawtucket. 
April 18, 1797. vSlie was a lineal descendant of 
Thomas Hopkins, who was b. in luigland, 
April 7, 1616, came to Provitlence with Roger 
Williams on his .second time of coming, 
recei\-ed a home lot and signed the comjiact in 
1640 ; he d. in 16S4. 





THOMAS LISABELLE, 

ER OF THE STAR COLLECTING t 



WILLIAM MARRAN, 
GROCER. 





ADOLPH W. MASSMANN 



JOHN W. MEIKLEJOHN, 

V. MEIKLEJOHN A CO., MUSIC DEALERS. 






IHH! 


% 








u 




\ 



HENRY H. RUSSELL, 
TREASURER PAWTUCKET ICE CO. 



CHARLES E. THURBER, 

PROPRIETOR OF DEPOT EXPRESS. 



476 



ILLUSTRATICI) HISTORY OF I'AWTUC K FT. 




NATHAN W. WHIPPLE, 

PRODUCE COMMISSION MERCHAN' 



WHIPPLE, Nathan William, fourth child 
of \\'asliiiigt<>n and Charlotte (Ra\) Whipple, 
was born April 14, 1843, at Cumberland, R. I. 
He attended the public schools of his native 
town and also at Woonsocket. In 1865 he 
went to Chicago, where for nearly a year he 
worked in a publishing house. The following 
year he came to Pawtucket and went into the 
employ of J. \V. Tingle3-& Co., grocers and grain 
dealers, where he remained three years. In 1869 
he purchased the Diamond Hill grocery, which 
he sold shortly thereafter and again entered the 
employ of Tingley & Co. In 1S71 he again 
made a business venture, buying a grocery 
store on Broad street, Central Falls, which he 
conducted successfully for seven years and then 
sold his business. In 1878 he e.stablished his 
present business of general wholesale produce 
commission merchant at rear 323 Main street, 
Pawtucket. In politics Mr. Whipple is a 
Republican. 

May 19, 1875, he was married to Lavinia 
C. Mason of Pawtucket, by which union there 
are three children : Gertrude M., b. May 19, 
1876; S. Maud, b. Sept. 19, 1878 ; Nathan W., 
b. Oct. 2, 1880. 



Mr. Whipple comes of an old New h-ngland 
lamih', his paternal and maternal grandfathers 
and his father being born and brought nyi in 
the town of Cumberland. His lather was born 
l'"eb. 24, 1813, and died March i, 1895. His 
mother was born in Cumberland, October, 1814. 

WHITE, David J., secretary of the Standard 
Seamless Wire Co., w^as born Oct. 10, 1856, at 
Pawtucket, and is the fifth child of William H. 
and Mary (Waugh) Wliile. He attended the 
public schools of his native place until he was 
17 years old. His first occupation was with the 
Pawtucket Record, and later with the Central 
Falls Weekl}^ Visitor. In 1890 he purchased 
the Record and in 1891 he bought the Visitor 
and consolidated the papers, which he then pul)- 
lished as the Record-\'isitor, which he sold in 
1892. 

In politics Mr. White is a Republican. In 
1 89 1 he was unanimously nominated for mayor. 
By the interjection of local i.ssues into the cam- 
paign, a third ticket was placed in the field. 
The nominees were: Hugh J. Carroll, Demo- 
crat ; David J. White, Republican ; Albert R. 
Sherman, Citizens' nomination papers. This 
triangular contest was conducted in a most acri- 
monious manner, for five separate elections, and 
resulted in the election of the Democratic nom- 
inee, at the last election. It was one of the 
most e.Kciting municipal political contests in the 
history of Rhode Island. Mr. White was clerk 
of the common council in 1888-89-90 ; he was 
president of the council in 1895, and a member 
of the board of aldermen in 1 89 1 , representing the 
third w^ard. He has also represented Pawtucket 
in the General Assembly. In 1892 he connecteil 
himself with the Standard Seamless Wire Co., 
of which he is at pre.sent secretary. He belongs 
to the Free Masons and the K. of P. Oct. 3, 
1888, he was married to L,illian A. Kerns of 
Greenwich, N. Y. 

WHITE, Frederic Howard, thinl child of 
Zebulon P. and Sarah Cha.se (Walker) White, 
was born Feb. 20, 1848, at Norton, Mass. He 
attended the public schools at Pawtucket, 
whither his parents had removed, and completed 
his education at Tufts College, Medford, Mass., 
from which he was graduated in 1869 with the 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



477 



degrees of B. Ph. and C. E. His first occupa- 
tion was as a bookkeeper in his father's foundry, 
which position he held until 1S72 when he was 
admitted as a partner into the firm of H. Z. Baker 
& Co. In 1S73 Mr. Baker retired and the firm 
name was changed to Z. P. and J. vS, White iS: 
Co. In 1875 the foundry and machine shojis 
were consolidated and in 1880 Frederic .sold his 
interest to J. S. White. In that year Mr. White's 
brother, Zebnion L., became editor of the Press 
and the Morning Star, Providence, and Frederic 
was engaged as general manager of the job and 
book printing office, and also had charge of the 
press room and the stereotype departments of the 
newspapers. In 1884 he returned to Pawtucket 
and organized the firm of White, Fuller & Sons, 
contractors, builders and house decorators. In 
1889 he purchased the interest of his partners in 
the stores and has since conducted the business 
alone at 365, 367 and 369 Main street. This 
business proved a success from its inception. 

Mr. White represented the first ward in the 
city council in 1886. He belongs to the Free 
Masons, the Odd Fellows and the Royal Arcanum. 
Feb. I, 1875, he was married to Ella K. Ridler 
of Boston, by which union there have been five 
children : Ella W., b. Feb. 24, 1876 : Helen R., 
b. Sept. 6, 1877; Er^-ing K., b. Jan. 19, 1S80 ; 
Frederic P., b. Oct. 9, 1881 ; Samuel, b. Nov. 
27, 1885, d. Aug. I, 1887. 

WHITE, J. Ellis, son of Joshua S. and 
Harriet (Newell) White was born March 24, 
1858, in the village of Pawtucket, town of North 
Providence. He attended the public schools of 
his native town, then went to Mowry and Goff's 
English and Classical school. Providence, for 
five years, after which he took a course at the 
Institute of Technology, Boston, Mass. Upon 
finishing his studies he became associated with 
his father in the foundry and machine business, 
and for a number of years previous to his father's 
death had general supervision of the establish- 
ment. After twent)' j-ears' connection with the 
industry, soon after the death of his father, Mr. 
W'hite disposed of his interest in the foundry 
and machine shop to his brothers and si.ster. 
Since then he has devoted his time to the care 
and management of his real estate properties. 



I'rom 18S9 to 1892 he represented the fourth 
ward in the city council. He was one of the 
joint committee of .seven of the city council that 
conducted the Centenary of Cotton Spinning in 
1890, and he was secretary of the committee. 
At the November election of 1896 he was elected 
alderman from the fourth ward for 1897. Oct. 
26, 1 88 1, he was married to Emily A. Richard- 
son of Pawtucket. 

WHITE, Joshua Shaw, third child of Zeb- 
ulon and Peggy (Wliite) White, was born Nov. 
13, 1818, at Norton, Mass., and died at Paw- 
tucket, R. I., Dec. II, 1895. He received his 
schooling in his native town. F'or a while he 
followed the occupation of farming, but when 24 
years old he entered the employ of the Paw- 
tucket Cupola Furnace Co., in which his father 
was a partner. In 1847 his father, Zebulon 
White, erected a foundry on Dexter street, and 
in 1S60, upon the death of his father, he united 
with his brother and they carried on the busi- 
ness under the name of Z. P. & J. S. White. 
In 1872 Frederic H. White was admitted as a 
partner and the firm added a machine shop and 
carried on the business under the name of 
Z. P. and J. S. White & Co. This firm con- 
tinued until 1880 when Joshua bought out his 
partners and conducted the business under his 
individual name. Since Mr. White's death the 
business has been continued by Henry T. White, 
his son, and Charles P'. Buttervvorth, his son-in- 
law, as the J. S. White Co., at the old location, 
21 Dexter street. ( For an account of the foundry 
see page 147 of the history. ) 

Mr. White was a Republican. He was a 
member of the Universalist church. May 17, 
1848, he was married to Sarah P. Ingraham of 
Pawtucket, who died April 7, 1850. May 4, 
1 85 1, he was married the second time to Harriet 
Newell of Pawtucket, by which union there are 
four children : Harriet, J. I'Hlis, William .Sliaw, 
and Henry T. 

WHITE, Willis Harkness, was born in 
Millville, Mass., Dec. 22, 1862. He attended 
the juiblic schools of U.xbridge until he was 16 
years old. He then worked for five months in 
Henry S. Farnham's furniture store, when he 
secured a position as bookkeeper with the Ham- 



478 



ILLHSTR ATI'.I) HISTORY O !• I'AWTUC K IvT. 



illoii Wc1) C(i., of IlaniiUon, R. I., wliciv lie 
remained tliix-e years. Croiiis' lo llu- cilN nl 
Pro\-i(leiK-e he became associated with Robert 
P. C.iffonl as sul)-aj^eiit for the Provident Life 
and Trust Co., and followed this business for a 
j-ear. lie then worked for a year as a bonk 
keeper with the Albion Co., and after tlial, in 
the village of Hill's Orove was engaged in mer- 
cantile business with Benjamin C. Sweet for two 
and a half years. As a result of this varied ex- 
perience, Mr. White was admiraljly fitted for 
the position he now occupies, as .secretary and 
assistant treasurer of the Hope Webbing Co., 
which he has held since the company was incor- 
porated in 1889, previous to which date he acted 
as bookkeeper for about two years. In politics 
Mr. White is a Prohibitionist, and is an active 
and aggressive worker for his political faith. 
He is a member of the Society of Friends, and 
belongs to the Greenwich Monthly Meeting. 
His interest in local and state history is mani- 
fested by the fact that he is a member of the 
Rhode Island Historical Society. He was 
married Feb. 21, 1883, to Emily Sisson, daugh- 
ter of Asa and Mary Ann Sisson of North 
Kingstown, R. I. The issue of this union are: 
Mary Harkne.ss, b. in Providence, P'eb. 11, 
1884 ; Charles Howard, b. at Hill's (rrove, Aug. 
30, 1S85 ; and Louisa, b. at Hill's Grove, April 
I, 1894. 

WHITNEY, Lemuel, son of Dewell and 
Eniil}- (Derby) Whitney, was born Oct. 30, 
1848, at Ashburnham, Mass., where he attended 
the pttblic schools and worked on a farm until 
he was 16 years old. He then worked in a car- 
riage factory, at Chester, \'t., and from there 
went as clerk in a country store at Ashley, 
Mass. He enlisted in the 2i.st Massachusetts 
and joined his regiment at Washington, I). C, 
in July, 1862. He participated in man>- famous 
battles, and was honorably discharged in 1864, 
when he returned to Ashburnham and worked 
in a chair factor}-, and later purchased one-half 
interest in a country .store in Westminster, 
Mass. He then moved to Howard, Mass.; later 
he joined with his brother in a country store at 
Ashby. In 1868 he came to Pawtncket and 
opened a grocery store with a Mr. Lane, nmler 



llie iMni name nt Whilne\- >.K: Lane, and located 
on the site now oeinipied bv the Pacific Bank 
building. In iSdij he bought out Mr. I<ane's 
interest, condurli-il the business alone some 
seven x'ears, and then purchased one-half inter- 
est with N. F". Whipple in a meat and provision 
market, under the firm name of N. F. Whipple 
iv Co. Poor healtli intervened, and he sold his 
market interest and moved to Ashby, Mass., 
where he engaged in farming. Five years later 
he returned to Pawtucket, purchased back the 
market which was on the site of the Conant build- 
ing, where he remained until 1893, whenhemoved 
to 319 Main street, his present location, where 
the business is conducted under the name of L. 
Whitney & Co., and is one of the best kejit 
stores in Pawtucket. 

Mr. Whitney is a mendjer of Tower Po.st, 
G. A. R., and of the societ>- of Good Fellows. 
In 186S he was married to Isabel vS. Ward of 
Ashburnham, Mass., b>- which union there is 
one child, Arthur V,. 

WHITAKER, Stephen, son of Asa and 
Rebecca B. (Hammond) Whitaker, was born 
May 1 1, 1835, at Conwaj-, N. H , and died Ma3" 
12, 1S96, in Pawtucket. He attended the pub- 
lic schools of his native place until he was 10 
years old but finished his education at the 
Phillips vSchool, Boston, Mass., where his 
parents had removed. His fir.st occupation was 
in a dry goods store on Bowdoin Square, Boston, 
where he remained three years. When 17 years 
old he learned the trade of a carpenter. In 1859 
he came to Pawtucket, and, after working at his 
trade a number of years, finall}- bought the in- 
terest of Nathaniel Lewin in the firm of Lewin, 
Fisk & Kenyon, and formed a new firm under 
the name of Kenyon, Drown .S: Co. Later on 
Mr. Drown withdrew and the name was changed 
to Kenyon & Whitaker. This firm did business 
for one > ear, when Benjamin F. Smith was ad- 
mitted as a partner, the name was changed to 
KeuNon, Whitaker & Smith, and so continued 
until 1S91), when Mr. Whitaker sold his interest 
to Mr. .Smith, and retired from active business. 

In i)()litics Mr. Whitaker is a Republican. 
He was chief engineer of the fire department of 
the old town of Pawtucket, and was assistant 





JOHN WADSWORTH, 

WADSWORTH MANUF/ 



WILLIAM W. WALKER, 

SUPERINTENDENT SAYLES' BLEACI 





FREDERICK H. WHITE, 



LEMUEL WHITNEY, 





JAMES H. WILBER, 
OF THE TROY STEAM LAUNDRY. 



DANIEL L. WILLMARTH, 

CONTRACTOR AND BUILDER. 



480 



ILLUSTRATI-I) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



chief (.■iiginccr uiulci S. S. C()Il>er, afltr tlie 
consolidation. 

Aug. 17, 1S73, he was married to Harriet 
Smith Pierce in Pawtucket, by which union 
tliere were three children : Stephen Pierce, b. 
Oct. ]■!,, 1S74, d. June 2, 1879; Emma Rebecca, 
b. March 21, 1S7S: Bertha Pierce, b. July 7, 
I .S8 1 . 

WILBER, James H., the seventh child of 
Andrew Taylor and Hannah King (Simmons) 
Wilber, was born Oct. 29, i860, in North Uart- 
moutli, Mass. He received his schooling in his 
native town, and at the age of 16 went to sea 
from New Bedford on the whaling bark Josephine. 
The voyage lasted three years. Afterwards for 
about a year and a half he was an able seaman 
on coastwi.se vessels. This gave him all the 
seafaring experience he desired. He then 
worked at various occupations. In 1S92 he 
engaged with the Troy Steam Laundry Co., 14 
Dexter street, Pawtucket and soon made him- 
.self useful and essential. November, 1895, he 
purchased a third interest in the concern. 
Under the energetic management of Mr. Will)er 
and his associates, C. F. Kinney and William 
M. Holliday, the business has been very suc- 
cessful. In jiolitics Mr. Wilber is a Republican. 

WILKINSON, Isaac Randolph, was born 
in Smithfield, R. I., April 21, 1826, and is the 
son of Isaac and Hannah (Streeter) Wilkinson, 
and the fourth of a family of seven. He is in 
the seventh generation from Lawrance, the 
American founder of the family, and one of the 
first settlers of Providence. Isaac R. attended 
the public .schools of his native town, and com- 
pleted his education at James Bushee's acad- 
emy, Smithfield. After leaving school he learned 
the trade of a carpenter. He then for some time 
was clerk in the Mechanics House, Woonsocket, 
and afterwards he conducted a hotel in Canada. 
In 1849 he went to the California gold fields 
with three other men who were brothers, and 
they remained until 1851, vvlien they all returned 
together. In that year he came to Pawtucket 
and went to work in Smith Grant's grocery 
store, where he remained for two years. At the 
end of this time he engaged in the grocery busi- 
ness on his own account and carried it on for 




ISAAC R. WILKINSON. 
POSTMASTER PAWTUCKET 1887--1892. 

ten years. F'or eleven years he was the confi- 
dential bookkeeper of H. L. F'airbrother & Co., 
tanners and belt makers. 

Mr. Wilkinson has always been a Demo- 
crat. He was a member of the North Provi- 
dence town council in 1 860-1 and of the 
Pawtucket town council in iSSo. President 
Cleveland appointed him postmaster of Paw- 
tucket. May 26, 1885, and he served in that 
position for five j'ears and five months. In 
religion he is a Universalist. He is an influen- 
tial member of the Pawtucket Business Men's 
Association. Mr. Wilkinson married F^liza H. 
Arnold, Sept. 7, 1849, at Providence, and four 
daughters are the issue of the union : Ella H., 
b. Feb. 7, 1850, in East C7reenwich ; Hattie 
(iertrude, b. July 4, 1854, Stanstead, P. Q., 
Canada; limma Jean, b. Dec. 16, 1856, Paw- 
tucket ; and Alice Ethel, b. Jan. 9, 1866, 
Pawtucket. 

WILLMARTH, Daniel L., son of Haskell 
!•;. and Mary Iv. (Webster) Willmarth, was 
born in Seekonk, Mass., Oct. 5, 1849. His 
opportunities for attending school and obtaining 
even the rudiments of an education were very 
limited, being, from an early age, obliged to 
help in the hard work of the homestead farm. 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



481 



In 1868 he came to Pawtiicket, and was appren- 
ticed to learn the trade of a carpenter, which he 
was afterwards to follow through life. In 1873, 
on the completion of his apprenticeship, he 
started in business for himself as a contractor 
and builder. By his energy, perseverance and 
honorable dealing he has built up a large and 
profitable business, and many beautiful resi- 
dences and important and valuable buildings 
devoted to a variety of useful purposes attest 
his skill in his chosen line of work. His shop 
and office at present are on Capital street. 

He has alwaj's taken an interest in local 
municipal politics, and in 1895 was chosen a 
member of the Common Council of the city gov- 
ernment, being re-elected for a second term in 
the same body in 1896. He was al.so Inspector 
of Public Buildings, by appointment of the 
mayor, for one year. He was married. May 18 
1874, to Miss Alice Hawes Smith, of Lincoln, 
R. I., from which union there is one .son, Dan- 
iel L. Willmarth, Jr. 

WILLMARTH, John W., chief engineer of 
the Pawtucket fire department, is the second 
child of Haskell E. and Mary E. (Webster) 
Willmarth. He was bom, Dec. 8, 1851, at 
Seekonk, Mass., where he attended the public 
schools until he was 12 years old. His first 
employment was on a farm. In 1867 he learned 
the trade of a carpenter with Bliss & Carpenter, 
of Pawtucket, and continued to work for that 
firm as a journeyman. In 1876 he entered into 
partnership with Mr. Carpenter, as contractors 
and builders, the firm name being Carpenter & 
Willmarth. In 1878 Mr. Carpenter's interest 
was purchased by Robert MacKillop, and the 
firm name was changed to Willmarth & Mac- 
Killop. The firm's extensive establishment, at 
48 Dexter street, contains all the modern wood 
working machinerj-, and the facilities are unsur- 
passed. Among the public buildings erected 
by this firm are Church Hill school, Pidge 
avenue, Grove street, and the Mineral avenue 
schools, Pawtucket ; the High school. Central 
Falls; the Masonic Temple, Providence; and 
the Soldiers' Home, Bristol, R. I. 

For man\- years he has been connected with 
the fire department, and on March i, 1896, suc- 



ceeded John Brierly as chief. He is the second 
incumbent of this position since Pawtucket 
became a city. 

In politics he is a Republican. He belongs 
to the Odd Fellows, and is a 32nd degree Mason. 
His father was born in Seekonk, Mass., where 
the family was settled at a very early date. 
His mother was born in Freetown, Mass., and 
is a member of the old Webster family of that 
place. 

WILSON, James, city messenger, son of 
John and Charlotte (Cox) Wil.son, was born 
Feb. 10, 1837, in Kinderhook, Columbia count}-, 
New York. His parents moved to Woodville, 
Mass., and in 1S47 to Central Falls, and in 1849 
to Pawtucket, R. I., where he worked in a cotton 
mill and attended the evening school kept by 
the late Joseph Carter in Central Falls, and 
also the evening schools in Pawtucket, and later 
a commercial school in Providence about one 
year. In 1857 he learned the trade of iron 
moulding in the .shop of James S. Brown. 
August, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Co. I, 
4th regiment, R. I. Volunteers, Erastus E. 
Lapham, captain. He was appointed corporal 
upon the organization of the corapanj- and was 
acting sergeant at the battle of Newberne, N. 
C, following which he was promoted to be ser- 
geant. In consequence of a wound received in 
that battle he was honorably discharged in Sep- 
tember, 1862. He returned to Pawtucket and 
went to work in the Fales & Jenks foundry. 
In August, 1868, he was appointed a police con- 
•stable by the town of North Providence and 
ser\-ed for two years. He had also power as 
constable to nerve civil process, and this posi- 
tion he still holds. August, 1874, he was ap- 
pointed a deputy .state con.stable by Gov. 
Howard, under the constabularj- law. From 
August, 1875, to April, 1876, he was .special 
liquor officer in the employ of the town of Paw- 
tucket. He was appointed a deputy sheriff by 
sheriff Holden and held office for several years. 
February, 1892, he was elected city sergeant 
and messenger by the city council of Pawtucket. 
which position he now holds. For the past 25 
years he has been prosecuting oiScer for the 
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Ani- 



4«- 



ILLUSTRATlvI) HISTORY O !• I' AW T f C K i; T 



nials. Ill cuiijiuKliDii with his uianifoltl iluties 
as a public officer he successfully coiulucls a 
prosperous real estate office and collection 
bureau in the Cole block, 271 Main street. He 
belongjs to the Pawtucket Business Men's Asso- 
ciation : the G. A. R.; Hope Lodge, No. 1.S6 ; 
Knights of Honor: and Noiijiarcil Teiiijile of 
Honor, No. 4. He was married to I'UIeii L. 
Cliace of Pawtucket, by which union there are 
two children now li\-ing. 

WILSON, Robert, contractor and builder, 
is the third child of Joseph Mountain and Mai\- 
A. Wilson. He was born March 5, 1.S62, at 
Leeds, York.shire, England, where he attended 
school until he was 10 years old. He afterwards 
learned the trade of a mason and worked at that 
occupation as a jounieyman in England and 
Ireland. In i.s.Sj he came to America ami 
worked at his trade in various places. Finally 
he located in Pawtucket, and in March, iSS.s, 
commenced business as a ma.son contractor, 
buiUliug Church Hill grammar school, Warren 
town hall, Johnston high school and other 
l)uildings. In 18S9 he commenced taking con- 
tracts for the completion of buildings, doing his 
own car])enter work, hiring his men himself, not 
sub-letting any branch of the building construc- 
tiiiii. The following buildings speak of his 
capabilities : Times building, telephone build- 
ing, and Central avenue school house, Paw- 
tucket ; Dr. Morrill's block. Concord, N. H.; 
State Institute for the Deaf, Providence, R. I. 

In ])oIitics Mr. W^ilson is a Republican. 
He is a member, was one of the organizers, and 
is treasurer of the Woodlawn Bapti.st church. 
July 20, 1.SS7, he was married to Mary Marsh, 
daughter of Rev. John H. Marsh, and by this 
union there are two children : Mildred Marsh, 
b. Feb. ly, 1 S.Sy ; Ivditli Mar\'.l). June 12, iSyr. 

WOOD, Alanson Pitcher, was born in 
Smithfield, R. I., Jan. 31, ICS37, and was the 
first child of Henry H. and Kliza (Gage) Wood. 
He attended the public .schools of Centr;il I''.ills 
and Pawtucket until he was 19 years old when 
he obtained a position with a wholesale lumber 
house in Providence. In 185.S he formed a part- 
nership with his father, Henry B. W'ood, and 
Gideon C. Siiiilh under the name of the Central 



P'alls Lumber Cn. In 1.S65 Mr. Wood and his 
brother, Antlion\ G. Wood, purchased the inter- 
est of Mr. .Smith, and his father, Mr. Wood, and 
carried on the business until 1S78, when their 
father again became a jiartner, and the firm was 
thereafter known as H. li. Wood ^: Co. His 
father died in 1.S.S6, and in 1.S91 Autliony died, 
since which time Mr. Wood has carried on the 
business himself under the old firm name. 

Mr. Wood is a charter member of W'a.shing- 
ton I^odge, K. of P.; and of .Superior Lodge, 
I. ().(). !•■., Central h'alls : and he is also a F'ree 
Ma.srm. In politics he is a Republican. He 
attends the Central Falls Baptist church on 
Broad street. Maj' 28, 1863, he was married to 
L>dia A. Thurber, of Seekonk, Mass. 

On both his father's and his mother's side 
Mr. Wood is descended from old New England 
families. His maternal grandfather, Anthony 
Gage, who was a sea captain for many years, 
was b. in 1763 and d. in 1831. His grandmother 
on his mother's side was b. at Harwich, Mass., 
Feb. 18, 1779, and d. in Central Falls in 1869. 
His paternal grandfather, Jonathan Wood, was 
b. Nov. 20, 1778, and spent his life in tilling the 
soil, dying at Attleboro, Mass., Sept. 16, i860. 
His grandmother on his father's side, Betsey 
Wood, was b. June 30, 1780, and d. Jan. 23, 
1864. It will thus be seen that his family are 
remarkable for longevity. His father, Henry B. 
Wood, the well-known lumber dealer of Central 
F'alls, was b. in Rehoboth, Ma.ss., Feb. 14, 
1803, and d. in Central Falls, Sept. 27, 1886. 
The mother of .Mr. Wood was Eliza Gage, b. 
in Harwich, Mass., Dec. 11, 1809, and was a 
member of the Gage famils' of that place. .She 
died in Central Falls, Oct. 27, 1878. Mr. Wood 
seems to be in the enjoyment of perfect health 
and bids fair to attain as great an age as his 
grandiiarents. 

At the outbreak of the rebellion he enli.sted 
in the ytli Rhode Island regiment in the second 
three months' contingent. He was promoted to 
be corporal and served and returned with the 
company. He was a member of a company of 
zouaves in Pawtucket before he went to the 
war. Mr. Wood was born on the site of his 
present residence, which was then in the town 





DARIUS L. GOF!^, 

AND TREASURER D. GOFF 4 SONS. 



STEPHEN WHITAKER 

RETIRED CONTRACTOR AND BUILDER 





J. ELLIS WHITE, 
DEALER IN REAL ESTATE 



ALANSON p. WOOD, 

OF H. B. WOOD i. CO., LUMBER ETC. 



484 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 



of Sinitlifield, .subse(iui.iitl> Lincoln, now Cen- 
tral Falls. He lived in the cottage he was born 
in nnlil two years ago, when he moved the cot- 
tage and hnilt his present residence. 

WOOD, Charles D., son of Joseph and 
I'liila T. (I'reenian) Wood, was born, Xo\-. 2t,. 
1.S44, at Central I'alls, where he attended the 
public schools and coin])leted his education at 
Lyon's University Grammar vSchool, Providence. 
His fir.st occupation was as a bookkeeper in 
Rockville. Conn. Ik- then went to New York 
and becanit.' :i partner in tlie firm of Belding 
Brothers, silk maintlacturers. Six years later 
he disposed of his interest in this firm, came to 
Central Falls, and engaged in the tanning busi- 
ness with Nathaniel Fairbrother. Subsequent!)- 
he engaged in the manufacture of machines for 
making .shoes, in Boston; and in 1890 he joined 
w-ith Henry T. Smith in the manufacture of 
seamless wire, and soon after organized the 
Standard Seamless Wire Co., of which he is 
now a director. He is also a stockholder in 
the Champion Nailing Machine Co., of Boston. 
During the civil war he ser\-ed in the 9th R. I. 
Volunteers. He is an attendant of the Congre- 
gational church, and is a member of the Knights 
of Pythias. 

In politics he is a Republican. His grand- 
father, William Wood, was born Oct. 23, 1760, 
at Hopkinton, Mass., and rendered signal ser- 
vice to his country during the war of the revolu- 
tion. His father was born at Hopkinton, Oct. 
18, 1803; became a prominent cotton manufac- 
turer in Central Falls, and was successively a 
member of the firms of Benedict & Wood, 
Wood, Adams & Co., Wood & Adams, and the 
Stafford Manufacturing Co. He died at Central 
Falls, F'eb. 10, 1873. 

WOODHEAD, Thomas Abraham, grocer, 
go Hawes street. Central h'alls, is the second 
child of Abraham and Maria (Pilkinton) Wood- 
head, and was born Sept. 2, 1851, at North 
Dighton, Mass. He attended the public schools 
at Stafford Springs, Conn., until he was 17 years 
old. He first went to work with his father in a 
dye house, but after working at this occupation 
for two years he abandoned it to learn the trade 
of a machinist at Providence. In 1876 he pur- 




THOMAS A. WOODHEAD. 

GROCER. 



chased a half interest in the retail grocery store 
of William Weeden, at 90 Hawes street. Central 
Falls. In 1878 Mr. Weeden sold his interest to 
E. L- Johnston, and in 1891 Mr. Woodhead 
bought Mr. Johnston's interest and has since 
conducted the business alone with much success. 
In politics he is a Republican. He attends the 
Park Place Congregational church. He is a 
member of the Odd F'ellows. Jan. 6, 1S81, he 
was married to Mary E. Barber of Central Falls, 
by which union there are three children : 
Charles, b. March 15, 1883 ; Alice, b. Aug. 7, 
1888; Florence, b. Jan. 12, 1892. Mr. Wood- 
head descends from a family of English origin. 
His grandfather was born in England, and was 
a manufacturer of woolen cloth. His father was 
born in England, in 1818, and came to this 
countrj' when a young man ; he was a boss dyer. 
His mother was born Aug. 10, 1S23, at North 
Dighton, Mass. 

WOOLLEY, Rev. Joseph J., ])astor ul the 
Park Place Congregational church, the .son of 
Joseph and Fanny (Burroughs) Woollej', was 
born in Bridgeport, Conn., Sept. 17, 1832. He 
received his education in the public schools of 
his nati\-e place and the preparatory school of 
B. L.Johnson. He then entered the ministry of 



B I O CHi A P H I E S . 



485 



the Methodist Episcopal church, becoming a 
member of the New York East Conference. 
After pursuing the prescribed four years' course 
of study he was ordained deacon in 1S60 by 
Bishop Scott, and elder by Bishop Mathew 
Simpson two years later. Soon after the out- 
break of the war of the rebellion he became 
chaplain of the 8th regiment, Connecticut Vol- 
unteers, served in the Burnside campaign in 
North Carolina, but was honorably discharged 
on account of sickness. He then became pastor 
of the Center Congregational church in Merideu, 
Conn., from which he was dismissed by council 
to accejit the call of the Pawtucket Congrega- 
tional church. 

Mr. Woolley came to 
Pawtucket the first time in 
June, 1871, and preached, as 
a candidate, at the First Con- 
gregational church, to which 
he received a unanimous call 
the following week. He came 
to reside with his family, in 
September of the same year. 
In March, 1882, he resigned 
and went to Europe, where 
he spent three months. On 
his return he was invited to 
become the pastor of a new 
church, the Sunday school of 
which was organized in Aug- 
ust, 1882, and the church im- 
mediately afterwards. This 
church is called the Park Place Congregational, 
and began its first meetings in Music Hall, 
where its services were held until March, 1885. 
The corner stone of the new edifice was laid in 
1S84. 

In February, 1889, Mr. Woolley went, 
together with Thomas P. Barnefield, the super- 
intendent of the Park Place Sunday school, to 
Eui'ope, traveling in the East, going to Egypt, 
Palestine, and other countries bordering on the 
Mediterranean Sea. After an absence of four 
months he returned and resumed his labors in 
the church of which he holds the pastorate. 

THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSO= 
CIATION of Pawtucket and Central Falls was 




REV. JOSEPH J. WOOLLEY 



organized as a result of a movement inaugurated 
by H. \V. Harrub, principal of the Church 
Hill school, and president of the Local Christian 
Iiiidea\or Union, who called a meeting of repre- 
sentative young men from the churches of Paw- 
tucket and Central Falls, in November, 1888. 
Those present favored the movement, and there- 
upon a committee was appointed to enlist the 
co-operation of the clergy. As a result of the 
work of the committee several subsequent meet- 
ings were held, and sub-coiiunittees were ap- 
pointed to secure needed funds. The project 
met with substantial encouragement from the 
business men of the community, and in Novem- 
ber, 1889, the announcement 
was made that a sufficient de- 
finite sum had been raised to 
pu.sh the enterprise to a con- 
clusion. Dec. 2, 1889, a meet- 
ing of those who had signified 
their intention to become 
members of the Association 
was held in the Park Place 
church, when a constitution 
and bj'-laws were adopted. 
An adjourned meeting of the 
Association was held in the 
ve.stry of the First Congrega- 
tional church, Dec. 30, 1889, 
when a board of directors, 
a treasurer, and a recording 
secretary was chosen. Sub- 
secpiently the board of direc- 
tors met and elected a ])resident, vice-president 
and auditor. Eater on \V. S. Foster, of New 
York, was engaged as general secretary and 
entered upon his duties in January, 1890. 

The rooms of the Association in Kinyon 
Block were formally opened on Monday even- 
ing, F'ebruary 10, 1890. Among the exercises 
were addresses by president Andrews, of Brown 
Ihiiversity, and Rev. Alexander McGregor, pas- 
tor of the Pawtucket Congregational church. 
The first officers of the association were : presi- 
dent, Ansel D. Nickerson ; vice-president, James 
R. MacColl ; treasurer, George H. Fuller; re- 
cording secretary, James L. Jenks ; auditor, 
Andrew R. Mattesou. Mi. Nickerson, after 



486 



ILLUSTRATlvD HISTORY OF I'AWTUCKICT 



two years service, was succeeded b},- J. K. 
MacColl, who served two years and was fol- 
lowed by M. S. Joliiisou, the present president. 
Mr. Foster resigned as general secretary, May 
I, 1891, and was succeeded by A. T. Stratton, 
the present incumbent, who entered upon his 
duties June 22, of the same year. After .several 
years of progressive growth, new and commo- 
dious quarters were .secured and were specially 
arranged for the Association in the Taylor 
building, and on the evening of July 10, 1895, 
they were formally opened with appropriate 
exercises. The As.sociation has now 520 enrolled 
members. 

BARNEFIELD, Thomas Pierce, son of 

John and Eliza Ann (Thayer) Barnefield, was 
born March 25, 1844, in Boston, Mass., and 
was educated in the public schools of Massachu- 
setts. His father died when he was eight years 
old, and his mother was married to Martin Snow, 
of North Bridgewater, now Brockton. In 1862 
he enlisted as a private in the 35th regiment of 
Ma.ssachu.setts Volunteers and served with his 
regiment in the battles of South Mountain, 
Antietani, Fredericksburg, Vicksburg, and 
Jackson, and was mustered out at the clo.se of 
the war with the rank of first lieutenant. In 
1865 he located in Pawtucket, and entered as a 
student in the law office of Pardon E. Tilling- 
hast, now associate justice of the Appellate 
Division of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island. 
Oct. 8, 1870, he was admitted to the bar, and 
has since practiced his profession in Paw- 
tucket. In 1871-72 he was elected by the Gen- 
eral Assembly a judge of the magistrates' court 
for Pawtucket and vicinity ; and was ai)pointed 
judge of the Probate Court of Pawtucket for 
the years 1879-80-81. He was elected a mem- 
ber of the General A.ssembly from Pawtucket 
for the .se.ssions of 18S0, 1881, 1884, 1885, 1886 
and 1887. In 1884 he was appointed town soli- 
citor of Pawtucket, and, upon the organization 
of the city govenunent in 1886, he was elected 
city solicitor and held that office until 1896. 
He is, by appointment of the supreme court, one 
of the .standing masters in chancery for the 
countj- of Providence. In 1880 he was appointed 



assistant judge advocate general of the state, 
with the rank of captain. He is a member of 
the Congregational church and for the last eigh- 
teen years has been superintendent of the Sab- 
bath school. From October, 1892, to October, 
1.S94, he was president of the Congregational 
Club of Rhode Island; and in 1895 was cho.sen 
a director of the Rhode Island Home Missionery 
Societ}". 

Since 1S8S he has been a trustee of the 
Franklin .Savings Bank. In 187 1 he was mar- 
ried to Clara Josephine Paine, by which union 
there are three children : Florence May ; Harold 
Chester ; Ralph Tillinghast. Mr. Barnefield is 
descended in the ninth generation on his 
mother's side from John Alden who came to 
America in the Mayflower in 1620. His father, 
formerly of Gloucestershire, England, is a 
descendant of John Barneveldt, who was Grand 
Pensionary of Holland in the beginning of the 
seventeenth century. 

BEACH, James Workman, the .son of 
William B. and Sarah (Kanodle) Beach, was 
born in New Orleans, Dec. 23, i860. He was 
educated in the public schools and in the Bryant 
& Stratton Business College, Providence. In 
1876 went into the stock raising business in Col- 
orado where he remained six years. He then 
came back to Providence, was employed as 
bookkeeper by several firms, and became well 
known as an accountant, giving much of his 
time to auditing intricate accounts. In May, 
1895, he bought out the Standard Bottling Co., 
at 318-322-324 East avenue, Pawtucket. The 
company manufactures carbonated beverages, in- 
cluding lemon .soda, sarsaparilla, gingerale, birch 
beer, blood orange, and many other flavors. 
The premises on East avenue are excellently 
equipped for the manufacture ; an artesian well 
276 feet deep furnishes a supply of pure water 
at the rate of 40 gallons per minute. The basis 
of all the beverages is therefore uncontaminated, 
and this fact is the principal reason for the excel- 
lent re])utation that the product of the company 
has in the connnunity. 

A branch of the business which is increas- 
ing very fast is the bottling of the famous 
Narragansett lager, both for immediate u.se and 





JAMES W. BEACH, 

IIETOR STANDARD BOTTLI 



RICHARD M. BURNS, 

FURNISHrNG UNDERTAKER. 




■1 



■-■■» '" 




DUNCAN H. CAMPBELL 



PRESTON A. CHACE, 

GROCER. 



JOHN ERVIN, 
GROCER, ETC. 



-J 




EDSON T. CHEEVER, 



WHEATON COLE, 

CONTRACTOR AND BUILDER. 



488 



ILLUSTRATIU) HISTORY OF PAWTUCKICT. 



export. The output of the export lager is 150 
barrels a week. The companj' runs five wagons, 
covering Pawtucket, Providence and nearl)\- 
places. The extracts used in the soda are made 
from pure fruit juice and oils. The conipan>- 
employs at present twenty men. Since the 
business came under Mr. Reach's control it has 
been enlarged and many modern machines 
introduced. The output is now twice as great 
as when Mr Beach bought out the company. In 
connection with the local trade goods are shipped 
to the southern states and through the eastern 
part of Ma.ssachusetts. 

Mr. Beach was married to Annie Ogilen 
Crowell Oct. 28, 1885. She is the granddaughter 
of Captain George Child, commander of the 
Steamer Lexington which was burned on Long 
Island Sound, many years ago, onlj' two of the 
entire crew and passengers surviving, Captain 
Child being one of the lost. By this union there 
are three children: J. Harold, b. Nov. 28, 18S6; 
Annie Beatrice, b. Oct. 28, 1S91 ; Florence 
Mildred, b. April 25, 1S93. 

BRANAGHAN, John H., was born Nov. 19, 
1S56, in Rehoboth, Ma.ss. He attended the 
public schools of his native town until he was 
17 years old, when he learned the jewelry trade 
at Attleboro, and became a skilled workman. 
He first engaged in business in North Attleboro, 
but in 1889 came to Pawtucket, locating at 17 
North Main .street, subsequently moving to 1 7 
Exchange street, and finally locating in his 
present commodious quarters in the Payne 
building, corner Broad and Railroad streets. 
Mr. Branaghan is a careful, conservative busi- 
ness man and all his ventures have been uniformly 
successful. Nov. 29, 1895, he was married to 
Mary Eliza Johnson (nee Donnelly) of Paw- 
tucket. 

BUCKLIN, Charles R., of the firm of Bucklin 
& Trescott, son of Stephen R. and Amy Cuil- 
worth (Lawton) Bucklin, was born in Paw- 
tucket, R. I., Jan. 5, 1847. The Bucklins 
were among the first settlers of Rehoboth, and 
members of the family were the first white 
owners of a great deal of the land which now 
forms the east side of the city of Pawtucket. 
Here for many generations the Bucklins were 



substantial farmers. The father of Charles R. 
was a native of Smithfield, but came to Paw- 
tucket when a youth, learned to be a blacksmith, 
and afterwards carried on that business himself 
at the corner of Church street and F^ast avenue 
until about 1886. 

Charles R. attended the Pawtucket schools 
and the high school until he was 16 years of 
age when he entered the hardware store of 
George A. Mumford & Co., where he .stayed one 
year. Then for three years he was with Barker, 
Whittaker & Co., of Providence as a clerk. In 
Januarj-, 1869, he became bookkeeper for James 
Davis, of Pawtucket, in the leather belting busi- 
ness, and remained there until the company 
failed in 1884, when he and Waldo Trescott 
were appointed managers of the concern, the 
Davis Belting Co. They remained as managers 
until the fire in 1S93, when the property was 
entirely burned. Then they formed the inde- 
pendent firm of Bucklin & Trescott, which now 
manufactures belting from oak tanned leather. 
The new firm has built up a large trade as the 
legitimate successors of the James Davis Belting 
Co. Mr. Bucklin is a Republican. He was 
clerk of the school committee for four years, 
was a town councilman, has been clerk and 
moderator of election district and has ser\-ed as 
city auditor. He is a member of St. Paul's 
I'lpiscopal church. He belongs to Union Lodge, 
No. 10, of which he has been .secretary since 
1 87 1 ; Pawtucket Royal Arch Chapter, No. 4, 
secretary for four years ; Holy Sepulchre Com- 
mandery ; Pawtucket Council Roj'al and Select 
Ma.sters, of which he is past recorder. He is 
also a member of the Providence Athletic Asso- 
ciation. Mr. Bucklin was married in 188 1 to 
Annie Tennant of Pawtucket, niece of Hon. 
George L. Littlefield, and the}- have had three 
children : Amy Elizabeth, Ethel Littlefield, and 
Ruth, all liorn in Pawtucket. 

BURNS, Richard M., was born April i, 1861, 
in Brooklyn, N. Y., anil is the son of James and 
Alice (Bryne) Burns, who located in Central 
F'alls when Richard was five years old. He 
attended the public schools at Central Falls, 
whither his parents had moved. In 1886 he 
opened a news depot and periodical store on 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



489 



Mill street. In the same year he joined with 
Thomas J. Crane in the undertaking business, 
which partnership was dissolved in 1895, since 
which time he has been engaged exclusivelj- in 
the undertaking business. He is a graduate of 
the United States College of Embalming and 
also a member of the executive committee of 
the New England Undertakers' Association. 

Mr. Burns is prominent in local politics and 
has been a candidate for the General Assembly 
on the Democratic ticket. He is a member of 
the Society of Good Fellows, and the Ancient 
Order of Fore.sters., being treasurer of the latter. 
He was captain of the famous Central Falls 
Cadets Drill Squad, when they competed for 
the championship of the I'nited States at 
vSpringfield, Ma.ss., Oct. 10, 1886, held the 
position of captain for four jears, and was a 
member of the organization for 12 3'ears. In 
1884 he was married to Alice Caden of Central 
Falls, and they have six children : Alice, Eugene 
and Edward, born in Pawtucket ; Mary, John 
and Louise, born in Central Falls. 

CAMPBELL, Duncan H., was born Sept. i, 
1828, at Sutherland, Scotland, and died in 
Pawtucket, R. I., Nov. 2, 1894. He came to 
this country with his parents in 1834. They 
having located in Boston he received his edu- 
cation in the public schools of that city, where 
he brought forth the series of inventions which 
made his name so famous. The first of these 
was " The New England and New Era Legging 
and Stitching Machine," which was at this time 
the only machine used for stitching cavalry 
boots, and for which there was a great demand. 
This gave him at once a national reputation. 
After searching for twenty years he invented a 
practical wax thread, lock-stitch, sewing mach- 
ine. It gave to the company a guarantee against 
all competitors and put upon the market the 
only perfect .shoe sewing machine in the 
world. 

His next invention of importance was a 
machine for the manufacture of cloth-covered 
buttons. The then existing contrivances for 
this work on the market were very complicated 
and required the services of two men to operate 
each machine. Mr. Campbell's iuv-ention dis- 



pensed with these attendants, the machine l)eing 
automatic in its action. 

Mr. Campbell was a charter member of 
Clan Fraser, No. 11, Order of Scottish Clans, 
and was its first chief. Among Scotsmen partic- 
ularly Mr. Campbell was held in the highest 
esteem, being a man of fine physique, great 
good-heartedness, and a thorough representative 
Highlandman in the proper sense of the term. 

CARTY, Gilbert, was born in 1833, County 
Ro.scommon, Ireland. He was a farmer's son 
and received his education in his native country. 
At the age of 18 he left the land of his birth and 
settled in Ouidnick, R. I., where he soon after- 
wards identified himself with the A. & W. 
Sprague Manufacturing Co., of that place. 
After remaining with them three j-ears he spent 
the succeeding three years in the state of Wis- 
consin. In IS39 he returned to Quidnick, where 
he met and married Mi.ss Winfred Greeley, a 
woman of high Christian character, who proved 
a worthy helpmate, and to her counsel and 
assistance Mr. Carty feels indebted for a gener- 
ous measure of the success which has attended 
his business enterprises. Two sons and four 
daughters were the fruits of Mr. and Mrs. Carty's 
happy union, and of these one son and three 
daughters are living: Bernard F., Marj- E., 
Bridget, and Margaret A. 

During the first 14 years after his marriage 
Mr. Carty was with the Valley Falls Co., and 
sub.sequently with the Berkeley Co., in Cumber- 
land. In 1879 he established a periodical store 
on the old Mendon road, in that town, and car- 
ried on there a prosperous business for three 
years. He then moved with his family to Cen- 
tral Falls and engaged in the grocery and 
provision business on Richardson street. In 
1892 the volume of his trade required more 
extensive quarters and he erected and occupied 
the block located at the corner of Pine and 
Richardson streets, where he has ever since car- 
ried on a lucrative business. Mr. Carty has an 
able assistant in the person of his son, Bernard F. 

As a citizen Mr. Carty has always taken an 
active part in public affairs. His honesty of 
purpose and straight-forward manner wins and 
holds the esteem of his fellowmen. He was 



490 



ILLUSTRATI'D HISTORY OF I'AW Tl^ C K I".T. 



elected to the Lincoln town council 
in 18S9, where he served his term 
with marked ahility. In i.Sgo he was 
returned to the council. In politics 
Mr. Carty is a Democrat. He has 
always been a leader in the councils 
of his party and was for years a member 
of the town and state committees. 

Mr. Cart\- is a Roman Catholic, 
beinu- a devoted member of Holy 
Trinity parish, in all concerns of 
which he is i^reall)- interested. His 
influence and purse are ahvavs at the 
disposal of church work, and every 
charitable object, whether in his own 
church or in another, no matter of 
what denomination, finds in him a 
ready and generous supporter. Mr. 
Cartj^ is prominent in the membershi]) 
of .several Catholic societies, and is 
president of the Holy Name Society 
of his pari.sh. He is also a member 
of the Central Falls As.sembly, Royal 
vSociety of Good F'ellows. He is a thor- 
ough-going, intelligent, progressive citi- 
zen and business man, one who can be 
counted upon at all times for the right. 
Plain of manner, frank of speech, sin- 
cere of purpose and prompt in the per- 
formance of every obligation, the com- 
munity has no member more entitlei 
respect than Gilbert Carty. 

CHACE, Jonathan, United States Senator 
from Rhode Island from 1.885 to 1889, and one 
of the leading cotton manufacturers in New 
England, was bom in Fall River, Mass., July 
22, 1829. He is the son of Har\-ey Chace and 
the grandson of Oliver Chace. The latter was 
the pioneer cotton manufacturer in Fall River. 
Jonathan was educated at the Friends School, 
Providence, and at Leicester Academy, Mass. 
He fir.st engaged in business in Philadelphia in 
1850, and in 1857 became connected with his 
father and uncle in the cotton mills at \'alley 
Falls and Albion, established by them. He is 
interested in various industrial and other enter- 
prises including insurance companies, railroads, 
savings and national banks, and is a director 




to its 



ATES SENATOR F 



of the Pawtucket Gas Co. In politics he is a 
Republican and has been a member of the town 
council and of the state senate. In 1880 he was 
elected to the National House of Representatives 
from the Second Rhode Island District, and was 
re-elected in 1882. He was elected to the 
United States Senate to sen-e the unexpired 
term of Henry B. Anthony, deceased, Jan. 26, 
1885, and re-elected in 1888 for the full term of 
six years, but resigned in March, 1889. 

Mr. Chace is a member of the Societj- of 
Friends, in which religious organization his 
ancestors have been prominent for many genera- 
tions. He was married October, 1854, to' Jane 
C. Moon, and from this union there are three 
children : Anna H., ICli/abeth M. and Susan A. 
(the latter deceased). His father was born at 
Somerset, Mass., Aug. 31, 1797. The family is 



BIOGRAPHIKS. 



491 



one of the oldest in the United States, and the 
founder, William Chace, came to this country 
with Gov. Endicott and settled in Salem, Mass. 

Mr. Chace is a man of pronounced ability, 
and his counsel is frequently asked and more- 
over his advice is followed, for his keen discern- 
ment, executive force and rugged reliability are 
recognized. In social life he is of a sterling 
disposition and in commercial affairs he is clean, 
direct, forceful and certain. Were he ambitious 
for political life he could be elected to any 
office within the gift of the people of Rhode 
Island. 

CM ACE, Preston A., was born June 12, 
184S, in Pawtucket, and is the son of Hiram T. 
and Phoebe (Nickerson) Chace. His ancestors 
came originally from Wales and settled at 
Swansej', Mass., at the beginning of the last 
centurj-. His grandfather, Luther Chace, was 
engaged in the teaming and express business in 
Pawtucket in the early part of the present cen- 
tury. Preston A. attended the public schools 
until 1861, when his parents moved to Provi- 
dence, returning in 1865. In 1868 he went to 
Boston and learned the trade of a painter with 
his uncle, Reuben A. Chace. In 1870 he re- 
turned to Pawtucket and became clerk and 
bookkeeper for Freeman & Kelley, stove and 
hardware dealers at Providence. In 1873 he 
joined his father in the grocers- business, and 
Jan. I, 1874, was admitted into partnership 
when the firm name became H. T. Chace & 
Son. The store at that time was located on 
School street, but is now at No. 2 Prospect 
street. In 1890 Mr. Chace purchased his 
father's interest and has since conducted the 
business alone. He is a member of the First 
Free Baptist church ; he was for nine years its 
treasurer. He joined the Pawtucket Fire De- 
partment in 1876, was appointed captain in 
1 88 1, and was eight years secretary of the 
Charitable Relief Association of the Pawtucket 
Fire Department. He was a member of the 
Rhode I.sland militia from 1865 to 1869. In 
1872 he was married to Lizzie Hawkins of Paw- 
tucket, who died Dec. 8, 1872. He was married 
the second time in 1876, to Charlotte WooLsey 
of England, by which union there have been 




RESIDENCE OF JABEZ FOLLETT, CENTRAL FALLS. 

four children: Arthur L., b. Ma}', 1877; 
Reuben A., b. Nov. 7, 1878, d. March 17, 1896; 
Jessie, b. 1881 ; Walter W., b. Nov. 30, 1888, 
d. March 2, 1890. 

CHEEVER, Edson T., son of Geoige Edson 
and Ann (Cheetham) Cheever, was born May 
26, 1856, at St. Anthony's Falls, Minnesota. 
After the death of his father his mother came to 
North Attleboro, Mass., in 1S57, where he 
attended the public schools. When 15 years 
old he learned the jewelry business and became 
an expert diamond setter. He is employed by 
Dutee, Wilcox & Co., Providence, and resides 
at 113 Cottage street, Pawtucket. In politics 
he is a Republican and represented the first 
ward in the Pawtucket city council in 1894, 
1895, 1896, and was elected to serve in 1897. 
He is a member of the New England Order of 
Protection. Nov. 13, 1879, he was married to 
Aimice A. Illingworth of Providence. His father 
was born in Wrentham, Mass., and followed the 
occupation of a watchmaker. The name of 
Cheever was probably fir.st brought to New 
England by that justly celebrated classical 
teacher. F>,ekiel Cheever, who came to this 
country in 1637. He died in 1708, aged 94. 

CHICAQO BEEF CO.— Messrs. G. F. and 
Iv C. v'^wilt, proprietors of the Chicago Beef 
Co., commenced business in Pawtucket in 1880, 
under the management of J. F. Abbott, with a 



4q2 



ILLUSTRATI'I) HISTORY OF 1' AWTUC K !• T 




RESIDENCE OF FREDERICK BATES, PAWTUCKET. 

full line of western dressed l)eef, inuttni), jMirk 
and provisions. Mr. Abbott managed the busi- 
ness for ten j-ears, when owing to poor health 
he was obliged to retire. The rapid increase in 
business made it necessary to erect a large 
business block on Baj'ley .street in iSyo. Upon 
the retirement of Mr. Abbott, R. A. Adams 
took the management and conductetl the busi- 
ness until 1895, when H. N. Swift, the present 
manager took charge. In 1893 the firm added 
to the business a packing department for the 
])urpose of corning beef for export trade, and 
this department has increased from 50 to 300 
barrels a month. The storerooms are situatccl 
on the main line of N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R., 
and are equipped with all the modern appliances. 
The weekly output is from 4 to 5 cars of dressed 
beef, 300 sheep and lambs, 20 hogs, besides 
large quantities of hams, pork, sausage, bacon, 
tripe, tongues, lard and the modern cook's 
shortening "Cotosuet," the last article being 
the e.xclusive product of this house. The com- 
jiany employs nine men and utilizes five teams 
in the deliverv department. 

COLE, Wheaton, inspector of puljlic build- 
ings, was born, Sept. 21 ICS38, at Rehohoth, 
Mass. He attended the public schools at Attle- 



boro and Rehoboth until he was 
16 years old. After leaving 
school he worked on his father's 
farm. In 1856 he came to Paw- 
luckct and learned the trade of 
a carjienter. He worked as a 
journeyman for a number of 
\ears, and in 1S68 he established 
himself as a contractor and build- 
cral his present location, 23 Elm 
street. In 18S7 he was elected 
a member of the school commit- 
tee and served three years. In 
1 89 1, 1S92, 1893 and 1894 he was 
elected to the General Assembly 
fiiim Pawtucket. In 1895 he de- 
clined a renomination, Init in 
1 8y6 he was again a candidate for 
the Assembly and was elected. 
While a member of the General 
.\ssenil)l\- he was chairman of 
the committee on corporations; 
a member of the committee on education, and of 
the committee on special legislation. He was 
one of the connnissioners of the state armorj- 
located in Pawtucket. He has been inspector 
of public buildings in the city of Pawtucket 
since 1893. 

Mr. Cole was married U> Ruth \V. Peck, l)y 
which union there is one child, a daughter. He 
was married the second time to Mary E. White, 
of Attleboro, by which union there are two 
children: Roy Wheaton and George L. He 
belongs to the .Masonic Order and the Odd 
Fellows, and is a member of the Pawtucket 
Business Men's Association. 

Mr. Cole's ancestors came from Iviigland 
and located in New England about 1650. His 
father, Zenas, was born near Attleboro, where 
he died in i88(). 

COLLINS, James, son of James and Cath- 
erine (Feghan) Collins, was liorn in 1820 in 
County Monaghan, Ireland. He alternately 
attended school until he was 15 years old and 
worked on a farm in his native place until he 
was 24 years old when he came to America and 
located at Pawtucket a .short time and then went 
to Prnvideiu'e, where for three years he li\'ed 
on a farm. He then went as an overseer into 



.jaft-^m^^ 





GILBERT CARTY 
GROCER. 





WILLIAM S. McCAUGHEV 



GEORGE H. SPAULDING, 

PROPRIETOR CENTRAL FALLS ICE CO. 



4')4 



I LLUSru ATl-;i) HISTORY OF I'AWTU C K l':T. 



the Butler Insane Hospital, where he remained 
some eighteen months. I/iter he was employed 
h\- the Providence and Worcester railroad as 
fireman, which occupation he followed for three 
years. In 1S56 he commenced the l)U\ini; and 
selling of old iron and paper stock, and for a 
time was a mendjer of the firm of Collins, Kellv 
^t Master.son, Provide luc-, wholesale dealers in 
iron, metals, paper, and general junk stock. 
l'l)nn retiring from the Providence firm he 
ile\-oted his time to his Pawtucket enterprise 
and built up a large and pros])erous busine.ss. 
He retired from active business pursuits in 1894. 
and since then has devoted his attention to the 
care of his properties. He lives at 142 Paw- 
tucket a\-enue, in the house which he has owned 
since 1856. In politics he is a Democrat, and 
was a member of the city council from the fifth 
ward in 1886. He was one of the organizers of 
the first temperance .society in Pawtucket. He 
is a member of St. Mary's Church society and 
for .seven years its treasurer. In 1850 he was 
married to Anne Whalen, of Pawtucket, in the 
" Long House" on North Main street. By this 
union eleven children were born : Kate, Mary 
Ann, Rose Ann, Bridget, Mary, John, James, 
Jr., Bernard, Annie, Maggie, Rose. Mr. Collins's 
ancestors were born and lived in Ireland where 
they were jirosperons farmers and cattle raisers. 
CRANE, Thomas Joseph, was born in 
Providence, R. I., March 11, i<S6i. He at- 
tended the public schools from the age of five 
until he was eleven years old, when he went to 
work in the Allen printworks, where he remained 
nine years. He later learned the undertaking 
business with Patrick Quinn, Providence, and 
then went as assistant to John McCusker, under- 
taker, Central Falls. Two years later he formed 
a copartnership with R. M. Burns, as furnishing 
undertakers and funeral directors and newspaper 
and periodical dealers at Central Falls. Six 
years later they .sold out the periodical business 
and devoted their time to undertaking. In 1895 
the firm was dissolved and Mr. Crane opened 
an undertaking establishment at 502 Mill .street. 
Central I'alls. He is a graduate of Clarke's 
School of ICmbalming, Providence. His assist- 
ant at present is Frank Saunders, a graduate of 



the Massachusetts .School of Ivmbalming. His 
])resent establishment is one of the best equipped 
in the state. He ranks high as a funeral direc- 
tor and is frequently called upon to direct for 
other undertakers. He assisted Thomas Toye 
in conducting the funeral of the late George J. 
West, of ProN'idence, which was one of the largest 
in the state. The first funeral conducted by him 
after forming the partnership with Mr. Burns 
was that of John Gahan, which was the largest 
funeral cortege ever seen in Pawtucket. He 
was a delegate from the New England Under- 
takers' Association to the national convention in 
Louisville, Ky., Oct. 5 and 6, 1892. For two 
years he was president of Branch 265, Catholic 
Knights of America, Central F'alls. 

March 2, 1886, he was married to Mar)- 
Josephine McGuirle of Providence, daughter of 
Thomas and Alice McGuirle, to whom fiv^e 
children were born : Josephine, Mary, Thomas, 
Mary and Ann (deceased). Mr. Crane is a 
member of Delaney Council, Knights of Colum- 
bus ; Holy Name Society of the Sacred Heart 
church, and Court Flower of Dexter, Order of 
Foresters. 

CRONIN, William J., attorney-at-law, was 
liorn in Maiden, Mass., April lO, 1868, .son of 
Cornelius J. and Margaret (Gainey) Cronin. 
His father removed to Pawtucket in 1875, where 
he continued to reside until his death in the fall 
of 1895. He was a prominent contractor and 
builder, well known in the line of his work 
throughout the .state. 

Mr. Cronin received his early education in 
the public schools of Pawtucket. Afterwards 
he entered La Salle Academy, Providence, R. 
I., in which institution after his graduation he 
was engaged as a teacher for about two years. 
Then he went to Wa.shington, D. C, to further 
prosecute his studies, and for four years was 
connected with St. John's College. From this 
institution he took his degree of Bachelor of 
Arts, and was on its staff of professors, as 
teacher of stenograph)', English and mathema- 
tics for three years. While in Washington Mr. 
Cronin took up the study of law, and entered 
the law department of Georgetown University 
in 1892, where after a three years' course lie 








^ 



JAMES COLLINS, 



WILLIAM J. CRONIN, 



W-^ 


1 




J 


'^ 


f 


ii_— ■ '■■ 


*1 




THOMAS J. CRANE, 

FUNERAL DIRECTOR AND UNDERTAKER. 



AUGUST FRANZ DONATH, 
PROPRIETOR CITY HOTEL. 




ISAAC JENKS. 




MANAGER PAWTUCKET 



496 



ILLUSTRATKD HKSTORV OF PAWTUCKKT. 



graduated the prize man of his class with the 
professional degrees of L. L. 1!. and I,. M. M. 
He also took a post-graduate course in j)liilos- 
ophy, history and literature in the academic 
department of Georgetown University, in recog- 
nition of which he was honored by his alma 
mater with the degree of master of arts. While 
a student of law at Georgetown University he 
was chosen to represent the school in the famous 
debate between the law departments of Colum- 
bian and Georgetown Universities, and it was 
conceded that the victory won by Georgetown 
was largely due to Mr. Cronin's brilliant pre- 
sentation. 

In the summer of 1895 he was admitted to 
the Rhode Island bar, and soon after entered 
into the practice of his profession, having his 
principal office in the Swartz building. Provi- 
dence, with a home office in the Pacific Bank 
building, Pawtucket. In iSy6 he was elected 
on the school committee, Pawtucket, for the 
term of three years. 

DEXTER, George E., son of Pardon N. and 
Abigail X. (Wilbur) Dexter, was born Aug. 23, 
1856, in Lewiston, Me., where he attended the 
public schools until he was 15 years old. He 
then went into the Androscoggin mills under 
his father. He was placed in the spinning 
department and learned the business. When 
25 years old he became an overseer in a mill at 
Newburyport, Mass., where he remained two 
years. Then he went to the Boston Manufac- • 
turing Co., at Waltham, Mass., as overseer, 
where he had charge of 65000 spindles. After- 
wards he was employed in a similar capacity in 
the Pacific mills, Lawrence, Mass., where he 
remained several years, when he was engaged 
as overseer at the Ann and Hope Mills of the 
Lonsdale Company, which position he now 
holds. He has charge of 100 operatives and 
runs 28000 spindles. The spooling, w-arping 
and dressing departments are included under his 
charge. Mr. Dexter is an expert at his business 
and owes his superior knowledge to the training 
received from his father who was a leader, and so 
recognized, among mill men. His father died 
in Lewiston at the age of 73. Mr. Dexter is a 
member of the Lawrence Lodge, I. O. O. F., 



No. 150, of Lawrence, Ma.ss. Nov. 11, 1876, 
he was married to Dora A. Lucie, of Houlton, 
Me., by which union there is one child. Viva 
A., born at Lewi.ston, Dec. 26, 1877. She is an 
accomplished nuisician, a teacher of the violin, 
and a iianilier of the Talma Orchestra, Provi- 
dence. 

UONATH, August Franz, proprietor of the 
City Hotel, was born May 14, 1846, at ALsleben 
An Saale in Germany. He was the seventh 
child of Chri.stian and Frederica Donath. His 
father was a miller and farmer, and died in Cier- 
many in 1866. Franz was accorded all the edu- 
cational advantages of the common schools of 
his native place until he was 14 years old, and 
assisted his father at times in the mill and on 
the farm. After completing his schooling he 
went to Leipzig and served his apprenticeship 
to the trade of a professional cook. When 19 
j-ears old he liecame a cook in the German 
navy. When the Franco-German war broke 
out in 1870, he served on Prinz Adelbert, where 
he remained until the close of the war. Later 
he was chosen chief cook upon passenger steam- 
ships of the Hamburg-American line, plying 
between Hamburg and New York city. He 
worked at his profession in New York city and 
in several large hotels elsewhere until 1878, 
when he came to Pawtucket and became pro- 
prietor of the Benedict House, which he con- 
ducted successfully until 1889, when he disposed 
of the property. 

Mr. Donath was a passenger on the ill- 
fated steamboat Narragansett, of the Stoning- 
ton line, which was sunken by a collision on 
June II, 1880. He was afloat in the water for 
three hours, and was saved by boats from the 
rescuing .steamer City of New York. In Nov- 
ember, 1896, he opened the new City Hotel on 
High .street, Pawtucket. 

DORSEY, Henry C. L., was born in 1824 on 
his father's plantation in Jeffensou county, Ken- 
tucky, where he received his education. While 
a young man he travelled extensively and came 
to Pawtucket in 1844. He inherited a small 
fortune from his grandfather and father, but 
when he came to Pawtucket his funds were low 
and he went to work in a paint .shop. Here his 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



497 



natural talent for lettering and fancy sign work 
was developed and created a lively demand for 
his services; and thereafter he carried on an 
extensive and prosperous business. In 1886 he 
was elected overseer of the poor. In 1859 he 
was married to Ann Amelia Baker of Pawtucket. 
Mr. Dorsey is known throughout New Eng- 
land as the " Prisoners' Friend," a sobriquet 
which conies from the manj- acts of voluntarj^ 
kindness which he has performed toward unfor- 
tunates confined in the various prisons and 
penal institutions. P'or years it has been his 
custom to celebrate Thanksgiving Day bj- fur- 
nishing turkey diimers to the prisoners. His 
charity to the deserving poor and needy has 



ever been in a practical form, and the resolution 
which he lornied, while a young man, to divide 
his income, above a definite amount, with the 
needy, the poor and the unfortunate, has been 
literally carried to a conclusion. 

FAIRMAN, Roswell M., son of Ray and 
Mary (Anderson) F'airman, was born in Paw- 
tucket, Aug. 9, 1856. He attended the conunon 
schools of Pawtucket and Rehoboth, and com- 
pleted his education at the Pawtucket high 
school. He early exhiliited musical talent, 
first mastering the flute, and had an early 
professional career as a flute player in different 
bands, orchestras and operatic companies in the 
United States. He then studied musical com- 




u LATE DARIUS GOFF, PAWTUCKET. 



498 



Il.LUSTRATI'.I) HISTORY OF PAW T U C K I'lT. 



position, became familiar with eveix- iiistrnmeiit 
employed in the modern band and orchestra. 
He also became proficient as an orchestral 
director and as a teacher. His musical edu- 
cation has been broad and complete. He has 
been a director of vocal music, has had a large 
number of pupils, and has written many com- 
po.sitions, instrumental and \iical. He is con- 
tinually publishing, and is no doubt destined to 
beconie a composer of note. He is devoted to 
his profession and seeks to jHomote the highest 
ideas of musical attaiinnent. 

Nov. 15, 1892, he assumed control of the 
Pawtucket City Band and has been its leader 
since. Under his management it has been 
developed and greatly improved. He or- 
ganized the Choral Union of Pawtucket 
and conducted the concerts here. He also 
organized the Pawtucket Symphony Or- 
chestra for cla.ssical performances. Jan. 
29, 1 89 1, he was married to Theodosia 
Anna Remington, of Providence. Mr. 
Fairman has a musical lil)rary of all the 
great masters. 

JENKS, Isaac Tabor, .son of Jabez 
and Patience (Tabor) Jenks, was born in 
Pawtucket, Aug. 23, 1809, and died Feb. 
I, 1885. He obtained his education in the 
public and private schools of Pawtucket. 
He learned the machinist trade, which 
occupation he followed for many years. 
When the Providence & Worcester rail- 
road was built he was appointed station 
ma.ster at Pawtucket, which position he held 
about four \ears. In 1852 he went to work in 
the Dunnt-ll priiUworks as yard master and 
time keeper, whicli positions he held until 1870, 
w'hen he retired from active business pursuits. 
In politics he was a Republican. He belonged 
to the Masonic Order, and for a nund)er<)f years 
was treasurer of Union Lodge. He was a mem- 
ber of Good Samaritan Lodge, I. O. O. F. He 
was married Nov. 23, 1835, to Cele.stina Luther, 
daughter of Simmons and Susan Luther, by 
which union there were seven children, four of 
whom are living: Theodore S. and Isaac N., 
who both died in infancy ; Josephine, b. Sept. 
15, 1S37, who was married to Hemy F. Bishop 



and d. Jan. 24. iSyi ; F'rank, b. Dec. 14, 1842; 
lidmund Crowell, b. Sept. 24, 1845 ; Celestina, 
b. June 18, 1848; Louisa, b. Oct. 24, 1852. 

Mr. Jenks is a descendant of Jo.seph Jenks, 
the founder of the Jenks family in America, and 
is in the sixth generation from Joseph, Jr., the 
finst settler of Pawtucket, through Major Nath- 
aniel, Nath.-miel, Jr., Capl. .Stephen, Moses and 
Jabez. 

THE JOHN J. KENYON MANUFACTLIR= 
INQ CO., manufacturers of tapes and braids (or 
manufacturers' uses; also glazed yarn and spool 
cotton, boot shoe and corset lacing. The com- 
pany was incorporated Jan. i, 1897. The officers 
are : John J. Kenyon, president and treasurer; 




WORKS OF THE JOHN J. KENYON MANUFACTURING CO. 

Robert A. Kenyon, vice-president; John F. 
Kenyon, secretarx- ; James Kenyon, superinten- 
dent. The works were built in May, 1895. 

LUTHER, Charles Frederic, son of Charles 
Greene and Marcy Arnold (Jenks) Luther, was 
born Feb. 13, 1855, on the Lindon Jenks e-state 
in North Providence, now Pawtucket, where he 
attended the district school. His first employ- 
ment was with T. I). Rice & Co., wood turners, 
where he remained several years. Later he was 
engaged with his father in the business of sign 
and general painting. He was for a number of 
years with K. V. Richardson, provision dealer, 
and later with C. IC. Richardson, on Broadway. 
When the free dcliverv letter system was intro- 



BIOGRAPHIKvS. 



499 



duced ill Pavvtucket, in 1S82, he was appointed 
a carrier and ser\-ed four years. In 1886 he was 
chosen cashier of the Pawtucket street railway 
company. In February, 1888, he became man- 
ager of the company's office, and in 1889 was 
elected secretary and general manager. When 
Mr. Luther took charge of this road its equip- 
ment consisted of a few cars and horses and 
al)out five miles of track. The lines have been 
extended in various directions, new rolling 
stock has been secured, and under his super- 
vision the road has developed from the ' ' bob 
car," j)ropelled by one horse, to the present 
well equipped electric system covering 25 miles. 
In 1894 this road was consolidated with the 
United Traction Co., and Mr. Luther retains the 
management of the Pawtucket division. 

Mr. Luther is a member of the Masonic fra- 
ternity, a past master and treasurer of Barney 
Merry Lodge, and an officer of the Grand 
Lodge of Rhode Island. He was a charter 
member of Ossamequin Tribe, I. O. R. M., and 
a past sachem. He is a past master of Paw- 
tucket Lodge, A. O. LT. \V.; also a past officer 
of the Massachusetts Grand Lodge. He belongs 
to other fraternal societies, is vice-president of 
the Pawtucket \'eteran Firemen's A.ssociation 
and is a member of the V. M. C. A., and the 
Pawtucket Business Men's Association. 

In 1875 he was married to Susie \V. Snow, 
by which union there are three children : Iva 
L., Annie S., and Charles W. Mr. Luther's 
father was born in Swansea, R. I., where he 
lived during his early life, and was an artist of 
considerable ability. His mother was a daugh- 
ter of Lindon Jenks, who was descended in the 
sixth generation from Joseph Jenks, Jr., the 
first settler of Pawtucket. The line of descent 
from father to .son was through Major Nathaniel 
the second son of Joseph, Jr., Nathaniel, Jr., 
Capt. Stejihen, and Stephen, the father of IJndon. 

McCAUGHEY, William Stephen, son of 
William and Teresa (Ca.sey) McCaugliey, was 
born Oct. 12, 1866, in Pawtucket, where he was 
educated in the public schools. After leaving 
school he worked at the jewelry business for 
three years. He then entered the gents' furnish- 
ing store of Sol. Cohen where he worked about 



three years, at the end of which period he was 
appointed inspector of private drains for the city 
of Pawtucket. He resigned this position to 
accept the situation of bookkeeper for the Home 
Bleach and Dye Works, which he held until the 
plant was destroyed by fire, Feb. 22, 1893. 

In September, 1893, he entered Yale Univer- 
sity- Law School, from which he was graduated 
in June, 1895. He then entered the law office 
of Littlefield & Stiness, Providence, where he 
studied six months, passed the bar examination 
and was admitted to practice April i8, 1896. 
He immediately became associated with C. B. 
& C. J. P'arnsworth. Pawtucket, with office at 
room 4, Cole's block, 271 Main street, where he 
is at present located. 

William McCaughey, the father of William 
S., was born in the town of Killnahusac, County 
Tyrone, Ireland, came to America in 1846, and 
settled in Pawtucket. He was one of the 
pioneer settlers of his race in this community. 
He worked for the Bunnell Manufacturing Co. 
42 years. He died Sept. 17, 1896. In politics 
he was a Democrat. 

POTTER, William H., son of Charles and 
Mary A. (Congdon) Potter, was born in Scituate, 




WILLIAM H. POTTER, 
BANKER AND BROKER. 



500 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PAWTUCKET. 




RESIDENCE OF WILLIAM H. POTTER, PAWTUCKET. 

k. I., ()ct. 29, 1S36, and received his early edu- 
cation in the public schools. His first eniploy- 
nient was in a cotton mill. When 20 years old 
he was competent to take charge of the weaving 
department and was overseer of weaving in the 
Natick mills for 16 years. During these years 
he studied the best books he could get on cotton 
manufacturing in all its departments. In 1873 
he became superintendent of the mills at Hebron- 
ville, Mass., where he remained about twelve 
years. When he retired from that position the 
employees at the mills and the citizens of the 
villajjje testified their esteem by presenting him 
with a new top buggy. His health being some- 
what impaired he took a vacation for a year, 
and sjicnt much of the time among the moun- 
tains and springs. He then opened an office in 
the Dorrance building, Pawtucket, where he 
now conducts a real estate and mortgage broker- 
age business. 

During the war of the rebellion in icS62 Mr. 
Potter was commissioned second lieutenant of 
Co. C, Ninth Regiment, Rhode Island Volun- 
teers, and served until the mustering out of his 
regiment. He was then commissioned captain 
in the state militia, and when the 3d Regiment, 
3d Brigade, Rhode Island militia, was organized, 
he was elected major of the regiment and coni- 



missioned by Gov. James Y. 
vSmith. Mr. Potter is a member 
of the Conimandery of the State 
of Massachusetts, Military Order 
of the Loyal Legion of the 
United States ; he also belongs 
to Tower Post, G. A. R., Paw- 
tucket X'eteran E'iremen's Asso- 
ciation, the Patria club, anti 
llie Pawtucket Business Men's 
.\ssociation. When in Hebron- 
\'ille he was on the building 
committee to build three school 
houses, one at North Attleboro, 
one at South Attleboro and one 
at Hebronville. He was al.so 
on the committee to l)uild the 
Methodist Episcopal church in 
Hcbron\ille, and has attended church there 
with his family for more than twenty years. 

In i860 he was married to Emily P. Knowles 
in East Greenwich, at the close of her four 
j'ears' course at the Academy; she died Nov. 6, 
1869. Mr. Poller was married the second time 
in 1875 to Ivleanor I,, liowen, of Attleboro, Mass. 
He has one son. Dr. II. Winfred Potter, of War- 
wick, R. I., and one ilaughter Florence Jl. 
Potter. 

Mr. Potter traces his ancestry through 
George Potter, he being one of the three Potters 
who had come to Rhode Island from Great 
Britain previous to the year 1639; the other two 
were Nathaniel and Robert. Speaking of them 
and their associates, Charles Edward Potter, of 
New York in his history and genealogies of the 
Potter families in America says : " Since Robert 
Potter sailed from England in 1634, and with 
his associates, ga\'e to the settlement of War- 
wick, in R. I., the name which it still bears, 
there has never been a period in the hi,stor>- of 
the country during which the descendants have 
not been conspicuous in commerce and legislation , 
in literature, arts and learning, at the bar and 
on the bench, in the councils and ministrations 
of the church, and when their country needed 
them upon Ihc llchl of battle." 



N DEX 



Abbott. Rev. Alexander R., 183 

Abbott, Samuel, 53, 56 

Abbott Run Manufacturing Co., 

Abbott Run, 22, 112, 143, 202 

Abell, Caleb, 125 

Abell, F. A., 210 

Academies, 137. 181, t86 

Adams, Abraham H., 120 

Adams, Enoch, 64 

Adams, John Quincy, 54 

Adams. Wilham T., 122 

Adamson, F.dward, 155 

Advertiser, the Boston, iqo 

Aijiiation, labor, 98, 99, 100 

Agriculture, 105 

Agricultural life, 134 

Alarm Post. 218 

Albanv. N. Y., 194 

Albion, R. I., 52, 88, 170, 171 

Albion Co., 170 

Aldermen, 131, 165. 166, 216 

Alexander, the Irishman, 51 

Alexander, Robert, 157 

Alexander, Roger, 129 

Alice street, 72 

Allen, Crawford, 170 

Allen, Rev. Reuben, 180 

Allen, Sabin, 218 

Allen, William, 125, 130 

AUenson, Charles, 222 

Almy (i: lirown, 76, 77, 79, no, 139, 

161 
Almy, Brown & Slater, 80, 81, 84, 

9t. 93. 100, 136, 185 
Almy, William, 76, 80, 82, 129, 139 
Alewives, 51 
America, 36, 73. 74, 75, 92 

American File Works' 'isi 
American Hair Cloth Co., 145, 146. 

162, 163 
American Hair Cloth Padding Co., 



An 



145 



157 



Amoskeag falls, 8t 
Amusements, places of, 216 
Anchor forges, 57, 58 ; shops, 64, 

68, 106, 107, 108, 140, 147 
Anderson. Rev. G. W.. 182 
Andrew, James E., 157 
Andrew, James H., 157 
Ann and Hope Mills, Lonsdale, 16, 

171 
Annawamscoate, 43 
Annexations, i6g, 172 
Angell, Hope, 128 
Angell, James, 128 
Angel!, Rufus. 127 
Angell, Thomas, 24 
Anthony, Adams, 72 
Anthony, Daniel, 86 
Anthony, Richard, 87 
Arkwright machinery, 76, 77 
Arkwright, Sir Richard, 73, 74 
Arlington street, 137 
Armington, Bowers, 129 
Armington, Daniel, 218 
Armington, Josiah, 67, 176 
Armington house, 67, 68 
Arlin, John P , 218 
Armories, local, 218, 220 ; the stale, 

Arnold, Ann, 78 
Arnold, Asa, 89 
Arnold, Benjamin, 53, 68, 108, 119, 



hou 



; chimney 



Arnold, D. R., 141 

Arnold. Eunice, 78 

Arnold, Jeremiah O., 147, 218 

Arnold. John A., 199 

Arnold, Jonathan, 128 

Arnold, Joseph, 147, 218 

Arnold, Lemuel H., 161, 162 

Arnold, Gen. OIney, 143, 144, M5' 



Arnold, Samuel, 198 

Arnold, Simon H., 120 

Arnold, Thomas, 53, 58, 69, 120, 
129, 139, 198 

Arnold, Torpen, 78 

Arnold, William, 26 

Artillery, 220, 222 

Arwin, Wilham, 48 

Articles manufactured and indus- 
tries carried on in Pawtucket, 
158. 159 

Association, benefits of, 100, 102 

Associations, 217, 223, 224, 227 

Ashton, R. L, 196, 204 

Assessors, tax, 216 

Atherton, A. T., machine shop, 64 

Attleboro, Mass., 31, 46, 56, 57, 120, 
122, 148, 153, 154. 169, 180 

Attleboro Universalist Society, 162 

Atwood, Abner, 169 

Atwood. Crawford Co., the, 169 

Auditor, city, 166 

Authier, Joseph M., 198 

Babbitt, Albert F., 224 

Bacheller, Rev. Tappcn H., 180 

Bacon Bros , 150 

Bagley house, 66, 72 

Bagley, Joseph, 72 

Bagley, Mother. 69 

Bagley pine woods, 67 

Bagley street. 64. 143 

Bagley, William, 66, 129 

Bagley, William, Jr.. 129, 176 

Baker, Charles P., 224 

Baker, Jethro, 224 

Baker, Joseph, 218 

Baker, Moses, 176 

Ballard. Esther, 40 

Ballard, William, 40 

Ballon, David. 66 

Baltou. Ealles, 54 

Ballon homestead. 67, 118 

Ballon, Rev. Hosea. 67, 182 

Ballou, Rev. Matnrin, 67 

Ballon, Peter, 54 

Ballou Post, 224, 227 

Bang-all, 94 

Banigan Memorial Chapel, 210 

Banigan Joseph. 224 

Banks, 137, 198, 199, 200 

Bank building, 136, igg 

Bannon, Matthew J., 131 

Bant, William, 54 

Banvard, Rev. Joseph, D.D., 178 

Baptists, 66. 67, 171, 1741 ^76, 181, 
183 ; the first church, 63, 69, 70, 
128, 176, 178, 179 ; other local 
churches. 171, 179, 180, 226, 227: 
history of the, 61, 178 

Baptist hill, 70; lane, 66, 178 

Baptist Quarterly Meeting, the R. 
1. Free Will, 180 

Barber, Allen U., 165 

Barber, John V\'., 224 

Barker, F. Eugene, 56 

Barker, Frederick A., 131, 200 

Barker, Henry, 187 

Barnefield, Thomas P., 195, 200 

Barney, Rev. Mr, 56 

Barnard, Henry, 184 

Barrington, R. L, 29,30, 31 

Barrows, Ezra, 176 

Barrows, Henry F., 199 

Barrows house, 6j 

Barrows, Nehemiah, 129 

Barrows, Otis, 78 

Barry, Rev. J. S., 183 

Bates, Frank May. 131, 200 

Battery hall, 220 

Battery, light. 220 

Battey, Rev. Stephen, 180 

Battle Axe. 188 

Baxter, Freeman, 144 

Bazar of all Nations. 228 

Beaver Falls, Pa., 151 

Beers, Robert, brickmaker killed 

by Indians, 51, 52 
Belling, leather, 152, 168 
Bcllew, Robert, 152 



Belper, Derbyshire, England, birth- 
place of Slater, 74, 75 

Benchly, Samuel, 176 

Benedict & Wood, 162 

Benedict, Rev. Dr. David, 34, 60, 
61 ; on social conditions, 94 ; sal- 
ary, 100; house, 137; work and 
career, 178 ; postmaster, 225, 226 

Benedict, Elias, 218 

Benedict house, 67, 197 



Be 



'ill, 
edict, Steplien, 162, 



225 

Benedict, Stephen Gano. 200 
Benedict, Uriah. 162 
Beneficial societies, 217 
Bennett, Job, 218 
Bensley, place, 68 
Bensley, Samuel, 129 
Benson. George, 176 
Berkeley, R. I , 196, 204 
Bethany Free Baptist mission, 180 
Bicknell. Peter, 176 
Billings, Dr., 84 
Binford, E. S.. 210 
Binford, F. S-, 224 
Black, Charles O., 192 
Black, David O., 192 
Black, David 0., Jr., 102 
Black, William H , 192 
Blackington building, 64 
Black John's house. 68 
Blacksmith shops, 108, 156, 160, 161 
Black Prince, 62 
Blackstone avenue, 227 
Blackstone canal, in, 141 
Blackstone, John, 16 
Blackstone river, 13, 14, 15 ; in prc- 

glacial times, 16, 141 ; 17, 23, 31. 
~ 63; flood of 1807, 107; 112, 115, 

141, 148, 152, 153, 160, 163, 164, 

166, 168, 202, 203, 206, 208, 223 
Blackstone valley, 17 ; villages in, 

122 ; pre-glacial, 141 ; 164, i8r, 
192. 196, 19S 
Blackstone, Rev. William, career, 
15 ; death, burial place and mon- 
ument, 16, 31, 44, 171 
Blain, Rev. John, 178 
Blake. Kliphalet, 56, 118 
Blake. Rev. John L., i8i 
Bleachcries, primitive, 69, 136, 151, 

152. i53i ^54' 172 
Bleaching, 152, 153, 154, 159; mead- 
Bliss, R., Manufacturing Co., 157 
Bliss. Rufus, 157 
Bliss & Carpenter. 156 
Bliss, Potter Ar Co., 56, 68 
Blodgett, Edward G., 143 
Blodgett, Rev. Constaniine. 180 
Blodgett & Orswell, 143, 153 
Block printing, 154 
Boat building, 57 
Boat club house, the Pawtucket, 

Bodies, disinterring of, 211, 212 

Bolts, 147, 148. 158 

Boms, Joseph, 148 

Booth, John, 224 

Boston "iS: Montana Mining Co., 167 

Boston & Providence railroad, 140, 

Boston, Mass., 15, i6, 23, 24, 43, 44, 
54, 57, 80, 98, 117, 119, 120, 143, 

167, 174, 190 
Boston turnpike, 62 
Boundary disputes, 184 
Bowen, Benjamin, 130 
Bowen, B. Frank, 224 
Bowen, Clovis H., I48, 150 
iiowen, Jabcz, 47 
Bowers, street, 57, 62 
Bowers, Mollie, 62 
Bowers, Sylvester, 57, 62, 120 
Bowers, Sylvester, Jr., 176 
Bowes. William, 53, 54 
Boyd. Rev. David, 180 



Bradford, John, 57 



Bradford, Rev. S. S., 178 
Bradley, Rev. Joseph, 178 
Braid, manufacture of, 113, 144, 

146, 152, 158 
Braid, John B , 84. 181 
Branch river, 163, 164 
Bray. Allen F., 200 
Brayton, Bautsion, 105 
Brett, Kingman, 220 
Brick, importation of, 122 
Brickmaking in Rehoboth, 51 
Brick schoolhouse, 181, 186 
Bridge, the first, 10, 13, 44, 60^ 63, 

I02, 105, 107, 108, 115, 118, 119, 

122. 131 ; repaired and rebuilt at 
various times. 45. 46. 47. 131. V32. 
133; how maintained, function 
and influence, 133; 136, 140, 141, 
144, 150, 152, 161, 168, 216; other 
bridges. 133, 160, 162, 163 
Bridge mill. 53, 84, 113, 139 
Bridge .Mill Manufacturing Co., 139 
Bridge Mill Paper Co.. 113 
Bridge Mill Power Co., 114, 115 
Bridgham. Samuel W , 198 
Brierly, John, 130 
Briggs. Hiram A., 199 
British efforts to keep the Ameri- 
can people in industrial depend- 
ence bclore and after the rcvoiu- 

British troops, 54 

British manufactures, 73, 74 

Bristol county, 46 

Broad street, 56, 63, 64, 66, 67, 118, 

119, 137, 146, 151, 158, 160, 166, 

170, 179, 184, 214, 316, 217, 229, 

230 
Broadway. 54, 56. 60, 6z, 63, 119, 

136, 179, 182, 2i6, 227 
Broadway Christian church, 183 
Broadway Evangelical church, 183 
Brooks, Rev. Hiram, 180 
lirook street, 208, 210, 216 
Brown, Albert, 205 
Brown, son-in-law of first settler. 40 
Brown & Ives, 88, 171 
Brown brothers, 88 
Brown, Enoch, 132 
Brown. Elisha, 47, 126 
Brown. George G., 218 
Brown. James, 88, 130, 131, 140, 146, 

147 
Brown .James S., 67, 88, 89, 137, 

146, 147 
Brown, John, 29, 30, 43. 123, 176 
Brown. Moses, 48, 51 ; his attempts 

to promote cotton spinning, 76 ; 

character and enterprise, 88 ; 80, 

82, 86, 104, 105, 12^, 139 
Brown, Nathaniel '1 ., 224 
Brown, Nathan A., 218 
Brown. Nicholas, 123, 176 
Brown, Obadiah, 30, 80, 129 
Brown, Pe.eg. 67 
Brown, Richard, 119 
Brown, Sarah, 130 
Brown. Smith, 76 
Brown, Stephen, 128, 2i8 
Brown, Rev. S., 182, 
Brown. Sylvanus, 67, 68, 77, 78, 86, 

88, 89, 129. 146, 160 
Brown t'niversity, 125, 175. 178, 185 
Brush manufacture, 154, 158 
Buckland, Joseph, Jr., 44 
Bucklev, James C, 196 
Buckley, Michael, 151 
Bucklin's brook, 44, 58, 62, 84 
Bucklin family, 53, 56, 57, 62, 84, 

H3 ; farm, 63 ; grist mill, 53, 60 
Bucklin & Trescott, 152 
Bucklin, Barack, 62, 63 
Bucklin, Charles R., 205 
Bucklin, David, 61, 125 
Bucklin, Ebenczer, 63 
Bucklin, Elijah, u 
Bucklin. Elisha W., 131 
Bucklin, George, a 18 
Bucklin, James, 44. 53 



502 



INDEX 



lUii-klin, lohn, 5^, 61, 63, 81, 176 

lluckUn, losiph, 130 

Hucklin, Nancv, f>i, 84 

Huikliii, Nathaniel, 58 

Hiicklin, Nflu-miah, 62, 63 

limklin, Oliver, 62. 63, 176 

lUicklin, Ruth, 81 

liuiklin, Sti-ijhcn R., 218 

Huflington mill, 140 

Huildinj,:s, qo, 156, 216 ; carried 

away by flood o( 1807, 108 
Bull, Blackslonc s white, 16 
Bullcn. Rev. George, 178 
Hull Run, 220 
BunK-to\rn, 94 
Burgess, Thomas, 198 
Burges, Tristam, 125 
Burnham, Charles C, 131, 200 
Burial grounds, 2oq, aio, 211, 212 
Burlingame, Maxey W., 180 
BurrillVillc, R. I , 163 
Busbee, Jesse, 176 
Bushce house, 68 
Business Men's Association, the 

Pawtuckel, 217 
Butler, Rev. James D., 182 
Butterfly factory, 172 
Butters, Henry, 165 
Butterworth, Charles F., 147 
Button & Blake, 224 
Btitton, L. Hi Co,, 224 
Business blocks, 136, 216 
Business directory, 1S8 
Business failures, 138 
Cabot, John and Sebastian, 15 
Cady, Rev. H. B , 182 
Caledonia Springs, 88 
Calico printing, 140, 158, 159 
Calvary Baptist society, 227 
Cambridge, Eng , 23, 29 
Campbell, Rev. John H., 183 
Campbell place, 70 
Canada west, 88, 142 
Canadians, French, 198 
Canal dug for iish to pass around 

the falls, 104 
Canonicus, 20, 25, 27 
Cape Cod, 22 

Capital, concentration of, g8 
Capital street, 225 
Captains of police, 215 
Capron, (ieorge O , 122 
Capron, Jtinathan S., 224 
Cardboard inanutacture, 155, 158 
Carding in houses, qi 
Carding machines, 77, 78 
Carey, Barnabus, 129 
Carlile * Brown, 188 
Carpenter, Albert, 218 
Carpenter, Ansel, 215 
Carpenter, Edmund James, 196 
Carpenter, Everett P., 199 
Carpenter, Ezekiel, clothier shop 

of, 64, 76, 77, 80, 104, 108, 160, 176 
Carpenter, Daniel, 129 
Carpenter, Oeorge A., 208 
Carpenter house, 66 
Carpenter, Judge George M., 196 
Carpenter, O . 176 
Carpenter & Willmarth, 156 
Carpenter, J. M., Tap & Die Co. 

141 
Carpenter, William, 26 
Carriage making, 54, 156, 158 
Carrtagesof the manufacturers, 100 
Carroll, Hugh J., 131 
Cars, electric, 172, 214 
Carter park, 209 
Catholic oak, 170, 171 
Catholic Baptist society, 176, 178, 

"79 
Catholics, 210 
Catholic churches, 183, 184, 186; 

schools, 186 
Caulfield, H. R., 167, 168 
Cavalry, 222 
Cemeteries, i8q, 191, 209, 210, 211, 



Centenary of cotton spinning, go, 

Central avenue, 62, 133, 180, 183 
Central avenue bridge, 152 
Central bridge, 123 



Central Falls, 10, 14, 19, 23, 28, 42, 
60, 72, 112, 113, 122, 130, 133, 142, 
144, 145, 14.6,, 147. 148, 150, fS'i 
152, 155 : origin of, 160 ; develop- 
ment of industries, 161 ; named, 
162; part of Smilhiield and Lin- 
coln, 163 : becomes a city, 164, 
165, 166; X67, 168, 169, 171, 172, 
178, 182, 183, 184, 192, 196, 198, 
204, 209, 210, 211, 217, 222, 224, 

Central Falls Baptist church, 179 
Central Falls Congregational 

church, 180 
Central Falls Veteran Fireman s 

Association, 224 
Central Falls woolen mill, 145 
Central street, 155, 179, 182 
Centre street, 179 
Chace, Arnold B,, 171 
Chacc, Mrs. Elizabeth B., 171 
Chace, Harvey, 112, 170. 171 
Chace, James H., 112, 171 
Chace, Jonathan, 171 
Chace, Oliver. 170 
Chace, Samuel B., 170, 171 
Chaise, Oliver Starkweather's, 100 
Channel Pawtiicket river, 114, 120, 

123. 124 
Chapel street, 183 
Charitable institutions, 224, 225 
Charles I,, j; 
Charles 11.; ).. 
Charleston, S. C, 54 
Charlestown, Mass., 15 
Charles street, 161 
Chemists and chemicals, 1S3, 154, 

■,s8 
Chemical fire engines, 130 
C'hickering, Charles E., 201, 22s 
Chief engineers fire department, 

I, so, 223 
Chiefs of police, 131, 215 
Children in factories, 78. 98, 185, 186 
Chocolate, 60; mill, 161 
Christ church, 182 
Chronicle, Pawtucket, 181, 189, 190, 

iqi, 212 ; the Evening, igi 
Church and state in Rehoboth, 30, 

173. 174 
Churches, 103, 137, 171-185, 198, 

210, 226, 227, 230 
Church, Charles, 46 
Church hill, 64, 216, 218 
Chiiri b hill common, 208 
Cbiirih of the .iVdvent, 183 
Chiircli of the C.ood Shepherd, 182 
Church of Our Father, 183 
Church, Rev. Samuel U., 180 
Church street, 155, 181 
Cigar manufacturing, 155, 158 
Circuit Court, United States, log. 

Citizens, character of, 201 

City Brass Foundry, 157 

City Clerk, 166, 216 

City Coal Co., 122, 124 

City Council, 214, 216, 227 

City farm, 216 

City Hall, Pawtucket, 70, 216 ; Cen- 
tral Falls, 167 

City government, Pawtucket, 
adopted, 130 ; the first officers, 
the charter, 131, 215; Central 
Falls, 164, 165, 166 

Clapp, BelaP., 157 

Clay street, i,s2 

Clark, Daniel, 127, 137 

Clark, Rev. Edward L., 180 

Clarkson, Edwin. 224 

Clergymen, 178, 180, 181, 182, 183 

Clerks, city, 126, 131, 166, 216; 
town, 125, 126, 128, 

Clinton street, 182 

Cloth, cotton, 138, 140, 144, 153, 
158,161,162,170; homespun, 62; 
worsted, 145 

Clothier shops, 58, 64, 90, 91, 108, 
160 

Clubs, 137, 217, 218, 224 

Coal, 121, 122; barges, 124: pock- 
ets, 122, 124 

" Coal yard," the original home of 
industry in Pawtucket, 63, 107, 
'40, 213 

Coates, Rev. Adclbert, 178 



Co.its, I. A P.. limited, 142 

Cohen,'Adolph, 200 

Cohoes, N. v., 87 

Cole block, 66 

Cole Brothers, 157 

Coleman, Michael, 197 

Cole, Mother. 69 

Cole, Robert, 26 

Collins, Fannie, 187 

Collins, Henry, 150 

Collins, James, 131 

Collins, Joseph W., 150 

Collins, William W., 150 

CoUyer, Nathaniel, 147, 148 

Collyer, Samuel S., 130, 148, 201, 

202, 203, 2og, 222. 223 
Collyer Insulated Wire Co., 150 
Colonial times, 131, 184 
Colonies, United. 30 
Colony, the old, 173 
Colquhoun, David, i6s 
Columbia hall, 70, 128 
Commerce at Providence, 50, 117; 

at Pawtucket, 120, 122 
reel, 67 



Coillin.in, ( iiui, li Hill. 208 

ConiMiiiniu , cl. V. L.pment of, 12,96 

Comp.,MKi., Mlliury, 218, 220, 222 

C<mistock family, 141 ; house, 42, 70 

Comstock, Daniel, 42 

Comstock, John, 70, 72, 128 

Comstock, Thomas, 70, 72 

Conant building, 137 

Conanl. Hezekiah, 145, igg, 200 

Conant. Samuel M., 199 

Conant I'hread Co., 142 

Conant street, 182 

Congregational church, 56, 72, 162, 
173, r8o, 181 : parsonage, pur- 
chased with money bequeathed 
by Col. Slack, 56 

Congress, the United States, votes 
$10,000 to David Wilkinson, 87 ; 

Connecticut, 20, 45, 98, 194, 197 

Constables, 215 

Constitution of 1842, 102 

Continental army, 48, 52 ; navy, 49 

Convention, labor, 98, gg 

Cook house, 62 

Coop, William I... 148 

Copper, electrolytic, 158, 167, 168 

Corduroy, 77 

Corner grocery, 64 

Corporation stores, 93 

Correspondents, newspaper, 195, 
196, 197 

Cosmopolitan character of indus- 
trial community, 159 

Cottage street, 57, 61, 63, 143, 216 

Cotton and Oil Manufacturing Co., 
84 

Cotton, 79, 120, 153 ; cloth, 100, 138, 
144, 153, 158, 161, 162,170 ; special- 
ties, 77, 139, 14s. 146, 158 ; im- 
provements in methods of manu- 
facture, 142 ; manufacture, 81, 
■ 36, 137, 159, extension ol, 163; 
machinery, 77, 91, 104, 1J4, 147, 
148, 150, 158, 162, 169; mills, 58, 
74, 79, 81, 83, 84, gi, 94, 107, 136, 
137. i.W. '40, 142, 144. "54. '55. 
161, 163, 171, 172, 194; pickers, 
QO, too, 134; picking in homes, 
9'. '34 ; price of, 143 ; sewing and 
spool, 140, 146 ; yam, 77, 79, 80, 
84, 91, 152. 1.53. 154. 158. 161, 162 

Cotton mill village, a model, 171 

Cotton spinning machinery, experi- 
ments with and successful con- 
struction of by Slater, 11 ; inven- 
tion ol, 73. 86 

Cotton spinning. 75, 76; first at- 
tempts at in America, 88 ; 90, 108, 
'.M. '35. 139. "61. 176. "94. "7 

Cotton spinning centenary, 90, 194 

Cotlrell, -Mbert, 132 

Cottrell, John T., 121, 124 

Council, city, 131, 165, 216; town, 

205 ; men, 131, 165, 166 
Coupe, William, 222 
Court house, 215 
Cowperthwaitc, Graham, 165 
Cozzens, Benjamin, 160 



Cranberry pond, 17 

Cranston, K. I., 25 

Crawford, C. Fred., 222, 224 

Croade house, 67 

Croade, Nathaniel, 64, 84, 129, 176^ 

225 
Crocker, Eugene, 222 
Crocker, Rev. Nathan B., 181 
Crompton, Samuel, 81 
Cromwell, Oliver, likeness of oa 

hotel sign post, 67 
Crossings, railroad, 214 
Crossley, Robert, 153 
Cross street, 145, 168 
Crowell, Asa, 143 
Crowninshield, (ieorge F., 222 
Culver, Rev. John, 180 
Cumberland, R. I., 16, 31, 104, 122,. 

■ 43. 168, 170, 171. "96, 202 
Cumberland mills, 143 
Cumming, John H., 153 
Cummings, Charles E., 165 
Cummings, John. 64 
Currency, primitive forms of. i(.o 
Ciirry. Captain. 76 
Gushing, Samuel B., 132 
Cushman, George, 168 
Cushman, Rev. George V.\ 182 
Cushman, Jacob, 129 
Cushman, Robert, 168 
Cu.shinan, PhilUps & Co., i6g 
Cushman, R. & G., 169 
Daggett farm, 208 
Daggett. Nathan, 120, 121 
Daggett's Point, 51 
Daggett, William J., 224 
Daily papers, 191, igg 
Damon, Kev. Calvin, 183 
Dams, the first at Pawtucket, 44 

on Bucklin's brook, 58 ; at falls. 



tral Falls, 160, 161, 163 : at Valley 

Falls, 170 ; water works, 204 
Dana, Gilbert B., 222 
Daniels, Gen. Horace, 169, 220 
Darling, Edmund A., 187 
Darling, Edwin, 142, "203 
Darling, Ira C, 154 
Darling, Lucius B., 154, 203 
Darling, I^uclus B., Jr., 154 
Darling, Lyman M., 154, 199 
Darlington, 142, 146 
Davenport. Addington, 130 
Davidson. Rev. Frank E., 180 
Davis. Aaron, 57 
Davis, Dr. C. E. & Son, 225 
Davis, James, 152 
Davis, James, Belting Co., 152 
Davis, James M., 222 
Davis, John H., 224 
Davis, John W., 210 
Davis, the hermit, 68 
Davis, Rev. Samuel, 180 
Davison, Henry H., 187 
Dawson & Co., 158 
Debauchery, 94 
Debt, city, 217 
Debt, imprisonient for, gg 
Deed, Indian, alleged lorgery of 

original, 26 
Delaware, 86 
Democracy, industrial, 98 
Democratic party, 194 
Dempsey Bleachery and Dye 

Works, 153 
Dempsey, William P., igg 
Denims, 77 
Depot, railroad, 216 
Derry, N. H., 224 
Development of community, 12 
Dexter block, 64,201 ; building, 64. 

195. "99. 200, 226 
Dexter Bros., 140 
Dexter, Henry B., 137, 155 
Dexter, Gregory, 18, 28, 32, 39, 42 
Dexter, John, 104, 105 
Dexter, John W., 132 
Dexter, Jo.seph. 127 
Dexter. Nathaniel B. 129. 222 
Dexter, N. G. B., 64,68,93, 140 
Dexter's tailor shop, 66 
Dexter street, 64, 67, 147, 151, 156. 

Dexter Varn Co., iii, 112, 140; 

mill, 54, 83, 112 
Dc Zeng, Rev. Edward, 182 



INDEX. 



503 



Diamond Hill reser\oir, 204 

Dighlon rock, 31 

Dilligence, the Pawtucket, 120 

Directory, Pawtucket and Central 
Fails. 178 

Distillery, 64 

Divisions, town, 47. 48, 128, 163, 
164 

Division street, 44, 62, 122, 144, 186 ; 
bridge, 52, 57, 120, 121, 122, 133; 
view from, 124 

Documents, city, 216 

Dogget, John, 51 

Dumestic production, 77; in dwell- 
ings, 91, y2 ■ evils of, i(X) ; local 
influence of, 134 

Dorchester, Mass., 50 

Dorrance building, 87, 127, 136, 226 



- War, 66. 



. James H. M.,i8o 

1 )oyIe, Thomas, gg 

Doyle. Hon. Thomas A., 99 

Dunham, A. Everett, 224 

Dunnell, Jacob, 154, iq8, 220; es- 
tate, 208 

Dunnell printworks, 62, 84, 154 

Dunnell, William \V., 154 

Durfee, James, 176 

Draper, J. O. & Co., 157 

Draper, William F.. 150 

Drawings, exports of prohibited 
from Great Kritain, 73 

Drawing frames, 77, 78 

Dress goods, 150; shields, 146; 
stays, 145 

Drills. Inction, 158; racket. 151 

Driving park, the Pawtucket, 142 

Drowne. Frank S., 199 

Drunkenness, 94 

Dyer. Charles, ig8 

Dyeing, 136, 152, 153, 159 

Dveworks, 64. 150, 152, 153, 154 

Dwelling houses at Pawtucket in 
beginning of century, 60; early, 
70 ; increase of, 136, 142, 156, i6o. 
161, 169, 171, 172, 185, 208, 216. 

Dwight's, Dr. Timothy, account of 

Pawtucket. 58 
Dwyer, Edward A., 224 
Eagle Dye Works, 150 
Earle, Pliny. 78 
Earl, Henry, 98 
East Attleboro. 217 
East avenue. 38, 39t 63. 64, 67- 68. 

70, 115, 136, 137, 140, 146, 152, 154. 

156, 199, 213, 214, 217, 226 
Eastern Advertising Co., 142 
Easton, Frederick W., 200, 205, 214 
East Providence, 24, 29, 30, 31, 52, 

123. 124. 126, 174, 204 
East Providence Centre, 30, 31 
East side, 10, 45, 47, 60, 61, 86, 103, 

loS, 118, 121, 124, 125. 126, 128, 

130, 138, i3q. 14I1 144, 186, 199. 

214' "5 . . 

Eastwood, Rev. Benjamin, 182 
Eastwood, Eastwood. 165, 210 
Education, 69, 70. 100, 184, 185, 186 ; 

industrial, 103 
Electric cars, 120. 172, 214 
l-Uectricity, water power used to 

generate, 113, 114, 115; 217 
Electric lighting, 214; appropria- 
tion for a city plant, 215 
Election, city, first in Central Falls. 

165 ; first in Pawtucket, 131 
Election days in eariy years ol 



Ellis & Smith, 121 
Ellis block, 136 
Ellis. Isaac, 121, 132 
Elm, the great, 64 
Elm street. 136. 181 
Elsbree, Charles H., 151 
Employers, character of, 97 
Embury Methodist church. 182 
Endicoit, Gov. John, 16 
Engines, fire, 130, 159, 166 ; wat 

Engineers fire depart 

city, 208 
England, 23. 33, 73, 74, 75. 79. 8: 



30; 



Englishmen, 27, 83 
Episcopal churches, 171, 182 
Erskine. Rev. Justis, 180 
Esten avenue, 152 
Esten, Esek, 127, 173, 176 
Esten family, 44, 70, 141 ; st< 

chimney house, 42, 70 
Esten. Thomas, 42, 125 
Evening Bulletin, the, 195, iq6 
~ ning Chronicle, iqi 



Ev 






Evolution of the people through 

the factory system, 103 H4 
Excelsior Loom Reed Co., 155 
Exchange street bridge, 133 
E.\change street, 154, 183, 192, 220, 
223, 221' 



English colonies, 23, 36 

English settlers, 19, 22 ; colonists, 



;ion, sentence 01, 174 

Exports of models, drawings, or 
machinery prohibited from Great 
Britain, 73 

Factories, 134-136, 138-155. 161-163, 
185,197 

Factory system, origm of in 
America at Pawtucket, 89,91, 92, 
134 ; early phenomena in connec- 
tion with, Q3 ; characteristics of 
the factory people, 94, their 
evolution, 95, 96 ; extension of the 
system and hard conditions con- 
nected with it, 96, 97 ; agitation 
and reforms, 98, 99 ; the environ- 
ments of as a means of education, 
100, 103 

Factory inspection, 184, 186 

Factory life, 171 

Factory time, 98 

Factory worke 

Failure of 1829 

Fairbrother Belting ( 

Fairbrother, Lewis, 132, 152 

Fairbrother tannery, 69 

Fairweather, James R., 156 

Fales & Jenks, 144, 147. 162 

Fales, Dana L., 222 

Fales, David L., 157 

Fales. David G.. 162 

Fales, Joseph E., 165 

Fales, George S.. 220 

Fales street, 184 

Falls, Pawtucket, 51, 60, 104, 105, 

141, 142, 173, 202, 208, 225 
Fall River, 88, 126, 132, 136, 170 
Families, old. 96 
Fanning. George M., 151 
Farmers, children of in mills, 98, 90, 

104 
Farm, the city, 216 
Farmers and Mechanics bank, 198 
Farnsworth, Claudius B., 200, 201 
Farnsworth, Rev. John H., 183 
Farwell, Frederick S., 1451 146 
Fanvell Worsted Co., 145, 167, 163 
Fathers, village, 129 
Faunce, Rev. Daniel W., D.D., 179 
Fay, Eliphas, 186 
Fayette rifle corps, 218 
Fertilizers, manufacture of, 154, 158 
Fessenden, Benjamin, 170 
Fields, planting, at Pawtucket, 39 
Field, John, 78, 129 
Field, William, no, 138, 139, 147 
Files. 151. 158 
Filter beds, sewer, 206, 20S 
Financial methods, 100, 138 
Fire alarm telegraph, 130 
Fire apparatus and companies, 164 
Firemen's Association, the Paw- 
tucket Veteran, 17Q, 223, 224 
Fires, 124, 130, 143, 144, 154. ^61, 

180, 20Q 
Fire department, 129, 130, 173, 209, 

223, 224 
P'ire districts; Pawtucket, 129, 132, 

214 : Central Falls. 164, 166 ; 

Saylesville, 172: Valley Falls, 

170 
P'ire engines, 36, 151, 157, 166, 223 ; 

stations, 166, 215, 223 ; sprinklers, 

150 « 
First Baptist church, 87, 173 ; 

organization of, 176 ; history and 

pa.stors, 1^8 ; 179, 226 
First Baptist church, Providence, 

174, 180 



First Methodist Episcopal church, 

182 
First National Bank, 199 
First L^niversalist church, 183, 226 
Fisher, George, 108 
Fisher, Gihr.an P., 187 
Fisher, Marvin W., 218 
Fisher, Joshua, 61 
Fisheries, at falls, iq, 51 ; public. 






106 



Fish, at Pawtucket Falls, lotter>-to 
construct a channel for passage 
of, 47 ; in river. 104, 105 

Fishing Rock, 64, 107, 114 

Fish, Myron, 165 

Fisk, Stephen P., 56.61 

Fisk, Stephen F., 186 

Flags, Lysander, 222 

Flax mill, 144 

Fletcher row, 64 

Fletcher, Charles, 140 

Hood of 1807, 107, 108, 132, 140 

Flour, manufacture, 53 ; mills, 58, 
69, 139 

Flume, the great, no; power-house, 

Foilett, F. F. & Son. 155 

Fontaine, Hennenegilde, 165 

Footpaths, 117. 118, 211 

Forces, social, g 

Foreigners, 103 

Forests within the present Paw- 
tucket limits, 57, 63 

Forges, 58. 63, 73, 89, 107, 135 ; the 
old Jenks, 64, 108, 117, 140 

Forge lot, 89 



Hil 



. John, ^8. 127 
Foster, R. L, 163 
Foster. Rev. Theodore E., 182 
Fountains, 129, 158, 166, 201 
Fountain street, 209, 223. 227 
Fowler. Samuel M., 188, 190, 2 
Fox Hill, 27 



I , ^ : ^s Bank. 200 

I M I W lil l;,(|itist churches, 179, 

iSo ; old meeting house, 183, 224 
F'reedom, religious, 175 
Free hall, 128 
Freeman Edward L., 155, 198, 199, 

222, 225, 227 
Freeman, Joseph W.. 155 
Freeman, William C, 155 
Freemasons, 70, 217 
Free schools, 184 
Freight, cost of, 123 ; station, 141 ; 

facilities, 142 
French Canadians, 184, 198 
French, Charles H., 200 
French. Daniel, 86 
French, John. Jr., 130 
French. Gtis, house, 62 
French troops, 67 

French. Warren A., residence of, 61 
Friends, Society of, 80, 88, 100, 119, 

172 ; meeting-houses, 175, 176 ; 

school, 8g 
Frieze, Jacob, 98 
Front street, 119, 152 
Frost, Rev. Charles S., 180 
Frost, Edward E., iq6 
Frost, Francis J., 224 
Fruit Hill hotel, 128 
Fry, Sterry, 120 
Fuller, Charles H., 152 
Fuller, George E., 152, 202 
Fuller, Jonathan, 129 
Fuller, Rev. S. R., 182 
Fulling mills, 58, 64, 91. 106, 108, 

160. 161 
Fulton, Robert. 86 
Furnaces, the Wilkinsons', 147 
Fustian, 77 

Future the. 230; industrial, 150 
Furniture, household, 129 
Gage, General, 54 
Gage, Remember I., 129 
Gale, September, 150 
Gambrel- roof houses, 60, 61, 67 
Gano, Rev. Stephen, 178 
C;ano. Margarett Hubbell, 178 
Garden street, 183 
Garden street grammar school, 227 



C.ardncr, John, 138 

(Gardner, Dr. Johnson, 66. 225 

Gaspee, burning of the, planned in 

the Sabin house, 57 
Gates, George C, 224 
(iay, Ira, 89, 146 
Gazette, I he Pawtucket, 189 
(tazctie and Chronicle, 178, i8g, 

rgo, 191, 197 
General Assembly, the Rhode 

Island, 16, 38, 47, 48, 49, 52, 104, 

lOS, II4. 123. 12Q, 132, 164. 165, 

172, 176, 179, 184, 186, 200, 208» 



eral Court, Ma 



. 54. 125 



Geneva, N. V.. 189 
Geological formation of country- 
side in early times, 16, 17 
(ieorge street, 210 
Georgia, 86 
G- 



Gill, Isaac, 131 
(Jilmour, William, 87 
Gingham, ,00 

Glazed yarn. 143. 146; capers. 158 
Glocesler. R. L, 163 
(joddard Brothers, 171 
Goff. Darius, 113, 144; homestead, 
. 53. i39i M4 
i L., 113, 146, 199, 228 
Goff. Lyman B., 112, 113, 137, 144, 

199, 217, 222 ; residence of, 61 
Gol^worthy, John E., 155 
Gonsalves, Rev. Manuel J., 180 
Goodrich, Rev. Massena, 133, 183 
Gooding, Charles T.. 224 
Goodwin, .Mmon K., 131, 225, 226 
tJordon, John, 



, lames E., 2 
, ?eler, 165 



G. 

Gorton, George W., 214 

(Josiing, George. 224 

Gospel, preaching the, 174 

Ciossip, neighborhood, 117 

(;ottschalk, William von. 165 

Government, city of Pawtucket, 

131 ; city of Central Falls, 165, 

166 
Grace street, 184, 210 
Gracey, Rev, S. L., 182 
Grade crossings, 214 
Graham, John, 196 
Grammar schools, 227 
Grand army posts, 2^4 
Grant, Smith, 122, 124 
Gravestones, manufacture of, 58; 

Graveyard, old Jenks, 210, 211, 212 

Gray, Daniel, 224 

Greater Pawtucket, 172 

Great Falls, Mont., 167 

Great Plain, 44, 45 

Great Rock as a landmark, 39 

Great Swamp, 39 ; its location, 40, 

Greene & Daniels, 162; Manu- 
facturing Co., 14-2, 169 

Greene building, 227; family, 107, 
113 ; nulls, 113, 140 

Greene, Benjamin F., 161, 169 

tJrecnc, Caleb, 129 

Greene, Edward A., 169, 199, 200 

Greene, Elder Daniel, 180 

Greene. John, 26 

Greene, Joseph T.. 130 

Greene, Joseph & Son, 138 

Greene, Paul, n: 

C-reene, Richard W., 109 

Green, Samuel, 68. 218 

Green street, 53, 155, 183 

Green, Thomas, 154 

(.'.reene, Timothy, 38, 53, 80, 86, 
loo, 107, 119, 129, 1^6, 179, 180, 
198, 209, 225 ; bark mill, 107. io8 ; 
mansion, 68 ; meadow, 39, 68 ; 
& Sons. 83 

Greenhaigh, George T., 195 

Greenslitt. Frank E. 197 

Grist mills, the first, 11, 44, 64 ; 50, 
ro, 70. 84, S9, 105, 108, 140 

C.rist mill estate, in. 

(Iriswuld. Bishop, i8i 



:ery t 



,64 



504 



INDEX, 



Gymnasium apparatus, 148, 158 

Hacking, James, 210 

Haircloth, 140, 158; invention o( 

loom, 144 
Haley & Harrison, 153 
Halls, 70, 128. 167, 181, 220, 2io: 

city, ai6 ; town, 224 
Halliday, F. F., 142 
Hall, Levi, 161 
Hall, Simmons L., 84 
Hamilton, Rev. F. W., 183 
Hamlets, the firsl at Pawtucket 

Falls, 10 
Hammond's Pond. 62 
Hand lire engines, 157, 223 
Handlooni weavers, 77, 100 
Happy Hollow, 170; pond, 202, 

203, 204 
Harbor, 124 ; Ime, 114 
Hard-scrabble, 94 
HarKreaves, JaJnes, 73 
H.arris, Gcorsje, 2r8 
Harris, Joseph. 198 
Harris. S. li., 170 
H.arris. \V. i: S. B., 138 
Harris, William. 24, 26, 170 
Harrison, .-Mfred, 153 

Harrison, General, 54 
Harrison, Richard, 153 

Harrison Yarn & Dyeing Co., 152 

Hartford, Conn., 15, So 

Harwood, John C, 188, 189 

Haskell C;n., William H., 67, 147, 
n)9, 200, 202 

HastiiiKs, W. Ciranville, 228 

Havens, W. D. S., 199 

Hawkins. Mrs. Deborah, 127 

Hawkins, F.sek, 128 

Hawkins. Isjiiah. 126 

Hawkms, Joseph, 128 

Hawkins, Luther, 176 

Hayairt, 223, 224 

Hazell, John, 43 ; his death, 44 

Headstones, 211 

Health, 205 

Healey. Samuel, 66, 176 

Hedge lane, 67 

Herald, 188 

Hewitt, Osc.tr A., 195 

Hicks. N. P., 113, 15s 

Higginson, Mother, 69 

High school, 166. 183, 186, 226 : the 

High street, 66, 70, 118, 127, 136, 
137, 160, 181, 1S2, 196. 211, 213, 
214, 215, 220, 225, 226 

High street Baptist society, 226 

High street grammar school. 227 

Highways, only cartpaths at first. 
50. 57 I 58, 62, 117, n8, 119, 120, 
121. 132, 160, 162, 164, 176, 213 

Hill, Cromwell, 67,108, 129 

Hill, labez, 66 

Hill, Thomas J., 67, 218 

Hills, George W,, 125 

Hingham, Mass., 29 

Historical sketch ol Pawtucket, 183 

Hitchcock. Luke, 108 

Hog pen point, 52 

Holden, Rev. C. W., 182 

Holden reservoir, rii 

Holliman, Fzekiel, 26, 33, 42 

Holt, Rev. E. D., 182 

Holy Trinity church, 184 

Holmes & Payne, 151 

Holmes, Obadiah, 43; persecution, 

Holmes, WiUmm, 181 

Home Bleach and Dye Works, 153, 

169 
Home for the aged poor, 224 
Homespun, 62 
Home Light Guard, 220 
Hope Thread Co., im 
Hopkins, Rev. Asa T., no 
Hopkins, James, 66, 129 
Hopkins, Jesse, 68, 129 
Hopkins, L. F., the schooner, 124 
Hopkms, Stephen, 20. 105, 119, 121 
Hopkins, Comntodore Esek, 49 
Horan, Thomas L., 194 
Horse cars, 120 
Horse hair, 1.^5 
Horseshoe nails, 158 
Horton, Frederick A., 143 
Horton, Oren S., 131 



Hosiery, 158 

Hotel, the Pawtucket, 66, 127, 128, 
136 

Houghton, Rev. Edward L., 183 

Hours of labor in factories, 94, 96, 98 

Household mdustries, 11 

Houses, old, 41, 42, 44, 60, 72, 136; 
137, '69, 170 

Hope furnace, 86 

Hope Webbing Co., 141, 145 

Howe, Hezekiah, j8i 

Hovey. P., 89 

Howard & Bullough American Ma- 
chine Co. (Limited). 148, 169 

Howe, Hezekiah, 137 

Hoxey, Reynolds, 218 

Hughes, Dr.. 70 

Humphrey, Dr., 64, 225 

Humphrey, Hosea, 129 

Hunt, Capt. Enoch; 50 

Hunting, 104 

Ilutchins, Rev. H. B., 179 

Hyatt, Rev. Isaac, i8o 

Hyde, Rev. Charles, 180 

Hvdrants. 129, 130, 158 

Ilfinois street, 156 

Illit.r.i. y in Rhode Island, 184, 185 



, 1,03 



liiip..rl.itionofn 



ufactured goods, 



74 



Indians ; population, 19 ; sports and 
fishing, 20; manufacturesand d<)- 
mestic life, houses, tools, cloth- 
ing, 21 ; decadence, 22 ; 31, 38, 51 ; 
trails, 46, 117, 118 ; occupiers, 163 ; 
treatment of by Providence colo- 

Indian deeds, the first, 14, 18, 25, 

25 ; confirmation, 27 
India Pomt. 141 
Industries in Pawtucket: speciali- 



ginning ol century, 58. 60; va- 
ried. 103, 134, 135, 140, 157, 158. 
159, 160, 161 ; expansion of, 136 ; 






iof 



Industrial centres, 160 

l,,<lu,^trial ...miuunily. evolution o 
.11 I',, mil, l.,l, H4. 135, 136 

I11.I11VI11..I, ,,,ii.laions before th, 
nv,, lull, ,11 111 North Providence 
50, cjy ; di-pLMulence ol Americans 
73,74; de\'elopment, 184 ; educa 



142-158; 



don 



establishii 
volution of, 103; free- 



thod 



gro%\ 



140, 



Infantry, 218^ 220, 222 : hall, 220 
Infants, sprinkling of, 174 
lnv;r.ih.iin. Dwight, 84 
lii.:r,ili,im, Elijah, 125, 168. 181 
InL:,.,lK,iii, H. N.. 161, 162 
In^i.ih.iin. Jabel. 162 
Ingrahamvillc, 84 
Inman, Edward, 42 
Inns, 48, 54, 56, 57, 58, 62, 66, 67, 72, 
117, 118, 120, 126, 127, 139, 225 



Intellectual quickening 1 
of factory system, 102 



, result 



Intolerance, religious, 175 

Inventions, how stimulated, 90 

Inventors, 98 

Iron, 122, 148, 158, 159, 161 ; manu- 
facture, 90, 146, 147; works, II, 
•SO, 57, 78, 88 ; specialties, 154, 158 

Trelano. 70, 01 

Irishman, Alexander the, 51 

Irish weavers, 77 

Island in Ten .Mile River, 84 

Ives, Thomas P.. 176 

Jacobs, .Samuel, 218 

Tames, Thomas, 26 
alousy, between the two sides of 



the I 



, 103 



157. =23 



Jeffers, William, 68 
Jencks, Daniel. 48 
Jenckes, E., Manufacturing Co., 



Jenckes, Joseph C, 199 
Jenckes, Joseph E., .3. 
Jenkins, Moses Brown, 13 



, Abi>;ail, 40 
, Albert A., 199, : 
Albert C, aiS 



. Alvin F., 166 
. Andrew. 169 
. Arnold. 129 
, IJcnjamin, 160, 



Jenks, 
fenks, 
ilenks, 
Jenks, 
Jenks, 
Jenks, 
Jenks, 
Jenks, 
Jenks burying ground, the old. 



Icnks. 
"fenks. 
lenks. 
lenks. 
Jenks. 
Te-nks t 
Jenks. 
h.nis. 
Jenks, 



, William, 139, 198 



;v. Ebenezer, 40 ; his 
; 53* 62* 67. 70, 90, 173 
a/er, 66, 8g, 90, 129, 136, 



Jenks. I'lli/abeth, 40 
jenks. Kphraim. 170. 176 
Jenks. Ksek. 129. 176 
Jenks family. 10. 37. 40, 46. 53, 89, 
104, 107. 108, 113, 135, 157. 160. 

Tenks, Frank, 195. ig6 

Jenks. Freelove, 67 

Jenks. George, 66, 129, 176 

Jenks. (;t;orge F.. 161. 162, 218 

Jenks, Gideon. 68. 160 

Jenks. Henry F,. 157. 220. 227 

Tenks. Jrliabod. 160 

Jenks. labez, 64. 78. 89. loS, 140 

Jenks. l.unesL.. 200. 217 
lenks. [aralhmeel. 66. 68, 108. 129. 
176. 178 

Jenks. Joanna. 40 

Jenks. Dr. John. 70. 78 

Jenks. Jonathan. 50. 218 

Jenks. Joseph. Jr.. 10. 39, 42. 44. 52, 
104. 115, 117, 170; settles at Paw- 
tucket Falls. 32. 37 ; imprisoned 
at Lynn lor treason. 31. 32 ; first 
mention of in Providence town 
r--<o,-(!s an<! <\rrd of land 10,33; 
;t sk ilird iiH 1 li.tiiJL-. 34 ; early lite. 
^' ; I'll ill i- ills it.j i,;eand dwelling. 
..p. rai., a ^au mill, and holds 
oUKe 111 Low 11 and colony, 38: 
children, 40. 

Jenks. Joseph, fiovernor. birth and 
caieer. 40; house. 41. 66; manu- 
script of. 174 ; governor of colony. 

40. 170; gra\e. 40, 211, 212; lays 

Jenks. Joseph, 127, 170 
Jenks, Major Joseph. 45 
Jenks. Joseph. Senior, settles at 
Lynn, is a founder in brass and 

Jenks lane. 108, 140. 192 

Jenks. Levi. 69. 129. 176 

Jenks. Mary, 40 

Jenks, Mercy, 70 

Jenks mill. 162 

Jenks. Moses. 68. 89. 108. 176 

Jenks, Major Nathaniel. 40 ; house, 

41, 69 ; captain. 45. 160 

Jenks, Pardon, 64, 89, 90. 108, 113, 

Jenks park. Central Falls, 166 

Jenks, Phebe, 70 

Jenks. Samuel, 176 

Jenks, Sarah, 40 

Jenks shops. 63 

Jenks, Stephen. 08, 89. go. 105. 108. 

i-'g, 136. 147, 160. 161, 162. 178 
Jenks, C"aptain Stephen. 52, 176, 195 
Jenks. Gol. Stephen. 128 
Jenks. Stephen A., 148. 199. 200 
Jenks. Stephen. Jr., 161. 176. 178 
Jenks street. 181 
Jenks, Varnus. 78 
Jenks. Williain. 40, 46. 54. 67. 160 ; 

• house. 41, 66 ; judge. 70 
Jerauld. Henry. 112, 139, 140 
Jewett City. Conn., 81 
Jillson, Daniel A.. 131 
Jillson. Oscar A.. 152 
John the Baptist. 188 » 
Johnson. Hiram S., 131 
Johnson. Rev. Thomas, 180 
Johnstone. Robert. 210 
Johnston, R. L. 25 
Jollie. Thomas L., 165 



Jones. Rev. E. F., 182 

Jones. F.dward F., 222 

Jones, Emily D., 185 

Jones, Mar>' D.. 185 

Jones, schoolhouse, 66, loi, 185, i86 

Jordan. Rev. J. B., 180 

Journalism and journalists. 188. 199 

Journal, the Providence, 195, 196. 

197 
Judge of probate, 166 
Jumping into the river. 101 

Keene, Charles. 160, 161 

Kelby, Alexander. 102 

Kelly, D. A., 156 

Kelly. George F. vs. city of Provi- 
dence, 123 

Kendall street, 166. 167 

Kennedy, John. 133, 161. 162. 218 

Kennedy, Hugh, 53, 60, 62. 84 

Kennedy. Prince, 62 

Kent's Mills. 57. 84 

Kent, Remember. 84, 125 

Kent. Willmington, 84 

Kenyon, Drown & Co., 156 

Kenyon, John J., 142. 146 

Kenyon. Whitaker & Smith, 156 

Keyes. Rev. J.. 183 

King. Abner, 128 

King Philip's war, 16. 22, 31, 38 

Kingsley, Rev. A. W.. 182 

Kingsley. Benjamin. 176 

Kingsley, Luther, 132 

Kingsley, Martin, 218 

Kingsley. Shepard C. 218 

Kinnicutt, Shubael. t8g. 190 

Knight. Charles L.. 199 

Knights of Labor. 98 

Knowles & Anthony, 191 

Labor agitation. g8. 99, 100 

Labor newspaper. 99 

Labor unions. 224 

Ladd. Loren G.. 208 

Ladies Memorial Association, 228 

Lafayette. General, 56, 218 

Lamps, street, 214 

Landing, the. 57, 58 ; the town, 119. 
120. 121, 122. 206 

Land, appropriation of by whites, 
22 ; foundation of tities to in Paw- 
tucket. 28 ; tax on, 129 

Larned ; 



, Rev. Ma 



143 



182 



Lawrence. Mass., 136 

Law suits about water rights, 108. 






135 



Lawton. George. 218 
Laihe. the slide. inv< 
David VVilkm.son, 8( 
Leader, Richard, 36 
Leather manufacture. 



161. 



Lebanon. 62, 84; mill, 153: Mill 
Co., 146 

Lcc& Upham. i8g 

Lee block, the Thomas, 66 

Lee, Charles A., 189, 191 

Lee, Hugh J.. 196 

Lee, Royal. 128 

LeFavour block, 66, n8. 127. 136. 
225; mill. 86, no 

LeFavour, Thomas, no, 138. 218. 
225. 226 

Leggin. Charles, 61 

Legislation, school, 184 

Lennon, Bernard T., 194 

Leonard. Charles A.. 225, 226 

Letters, free delivery of, 226 

L'Flsperance. 198 

Lewin. Fisk & Kenyon, 156 

Lewin, Kenyon & Co.. 156 

Lewin. Nathaniel. 156 

Lewisohn Bros., 167. 168 

Liberty, soul. 173. 174. 175 

Library, the Pawtucket Iree Pub- 
lic, 186, 187 

Licenses. 131, 166 

Lighting of streets. 130, 164, 214, 
215 

Lincoln. R. L, ig, 28. 72. 163, 164, 
165. 171, 196, 202. 204, 227 

Lincotype machines. 195 

Lindsey tavern. 118 

Lindsley, Isaac C. 144 

Linen yarn, 91 

Lin.seed oil mill. 53, 60 

Linton Bros. & Co.. 155 



INDEX. 



505 



Littlefield. Alfred H., 139, 141, 144, 

Littlefield block, 136 
Littlefield Bros., ijq 
Littlefield. Daniel C>., 144. 146 
Littlefield. Eben N.. 61. 140 
Littlefield, George L., 139. 144 
Litilclield Manufacfjring Ct)., 53. 

no. 112. 139, 140 
Little river. 107. 108 
Little Sisters of the Poor, 224 
Loial centres. 160 ; tendencies, 188 
Lodges. 217 
Log bridge. 70 
Long house. 136 
Lonsdale. 16. 17. 160. 170, 171, 172, 

162. iq6. 204, 217 
Lonsdale avenue. 39, 42, 70. 72, 118, 

160, 166. 17Q, 210 
Lonsdale Baptist church, 179 
Lonsdale Co.. 182 
Looms, hand, in private houses, 77 ; 

power. 87. 134. 135. 1361 i55< ^58 
Loquasqusclt. 18. 28 
Lonng. Mr.. 180 



Congregat ional church, 
181 
Lorraine Manufacturing Co.. 146, 

Lotteries, to construct channel for 
fish around Pawtucket falls, and 
build bridge over river, 47, 105 

Lothrop, Joshua, 224 

Louisiana. 86 

Lowden. John T., 218 

Lowell. Mass.. 136. 189 

Lull. Henry F.. 157 

Lull. Proctor C. 131, 157 

Lumber. 120. 121. 122. 123 

Lumber street. 67.68. iiq, 121, 213 



ichu 



Luther. Charles F.. 224 

Lyman. Judge, 87 

Lymansville, 87 

Lynn. Mass.. 32. 36. 37, 50 

Lynn Iron Works, 32, 37 

Lyon house, 62 

Lvon, Rev. James H., 181. 210 

Lyon. John, 51 

Lythgoe, John C. 222 

Machine shops, go. 106, 146, 147. 
162 ; tools and bolts, 158 

Machinery, invention of modern. 
11; building of the first cotton 
spinning. 12. 86. 90, 134. 136, 146 ; 
export of prohibited from Great 
Britain. 73 ; cotton. 80, 81, 162, 
169; 138, 147. m8. 151. 159; spec- 
ial. 156. 159 

Machinery hall, 194 

Machinists, pioneer. 81 ; tools. 158 

Main street, 38, 39. 44. 53n 54. 60 
61. 63. 64, 66, 67. 69. 70. 87, 88 
108, 115. 118, 119. 127, 136. 137 
140. 145, 146, 147, 152, 156, 157 
182. 185. 186, i38. 192. 194, 196 
198, iqg. 201. 208, 209. 211, 213 
216, 218, 224. 225, 226. 230 ; square 
195. 197 

Mairis, water. 204 

Manchester block. 69. 140. 226 

MancheslLT. Charles F., in 

Manchester. Charles N., 222 

ManchestL-r. N. H.. 81, 136 

Manchester. Niles. no. 139 

Manners, simple. 100 

Mann. Dr. A. A.. 200. 222. 

Mansfield. Mass., 31, 78 

jNIansion houses. 136, 137, 216. 217 

Manufacturers, pioneers, 74, 81 ; as 
storekeepers, 92, 93 ; 96, 98, 138, 
154, 216 

Manufacturers' bank. 198 

Manufactures, development of, 74; 
growth of locally, 134-163 

Manufacturing prohibited in colo- 
nies at behest of British manu- 
facturers, 73 ; rising importance 
of, 105 

Manville. R. L. 5^. i?" 

Maple street. 199 

Marchant. Henry. 143. ^7^ 

Market for yarn. 80 

^L*^lboro hotel. gS 

Marsh, Amariah. 129 



Martin. Constant. 67, 118, 129, 162 

Martin, Freelovc, 50 

Martin tavern, 67 

Martin. William J., 165 

Martinsburg, N. C, 86 

Maryland. 86. 

Mashapaugc, Indian town of, 25 

Massachusetts, 15. 20, 26, 31, 45, 
46, 47. 52, 54, 60, 83. 86, 98. 102, 
103. 117. 125, 126. 128. 174. 180, 
192. 197. 220 ; Bay Colony. 23. 
29; legislature. 36. 198, 200 

Massasoit, 20. 24. 29, 31. 43; pur- 
chase of land trom. near Paw- 
tucket. i3. 28 ; quit claim deed 
of. signed by King Philip. 30 

Masonic Hall. 227 ; temple. 216 

Mason & Crane. 122 

Mason, Edith H.. 187 

Mason, Edward S,. 200 

Masons, free. 217 

Mason, Frederick R., 152 

Mason house. 67 

Mason, James, 129, 176. 

Mason, Pardon, 220 

Mason, Robert D.. 141. 152. 203. 

Mason street. 156 

Maynard street. 44. 137 

Mayors. 131. 165. 166, 214, 215 

McCabe, Bernard. 156 

McCaffrey, Dennis F.. 226 

McCartney. J. Currey, 165 

McCaughey. Bernard, 69, 120, 214 

McCloy. Robert. 220 

RIcComiskey, Daniel. 210 

McDuff, Henry C. 131. 142 

McGowan, Michael, 224 

McGregor, Rev. Alexander, 180 

McGregor. William. 222 

McKenna, Frank. 157, 158 

McManus. Peter B.. 153 

McNulty, James E.. 224 

Meacham, Randall. 188, 189. 190 

Meadows. 208 ; and fields at Paw- 
tucket, 39 ; Timothy Greene's, 
68 

Meadow Hollow, 70 

Mechanics, 90, 98, 103, 224, 230; 
pioneers. 53, 140, 146, 147 

Medway. Mass.. 122 

Meggett, Hon. Alexander. 102, 128 

Mendon. Mass.. 46 ; road. 118 

Meeting houses. 175, 176. 178, 224 

Meeting street. 63, 66, 178 

Meetings, town. 125-128 

Memorial Congregational church, 
Saylesville, 181 

Memorial park. 208 

Mercantile Reporter, 188 

Merchants, 98. 120, 121, 171 

Mergenthaler lineotype machines. 

Merrimac river, 8i 

Merry. Barney, 136, 137, 152. 209 

Merry homestead. 152 

Merry, Samuel, 152 

Messenger, Eli, 64 

Messer. Rev. Dr. Asa. 178 

Metcalf. Arthur H., 200 

Metcalf. Henry B.. 145. 200. 201 

Methodist churches. 6g, 182 

Miantonomi. 18, 25, 27 

Midnight Cry. 188 

Miles. Rev. John, 174 

Milford, Eng., 7.J, 75 

Military companies, 218, 220, 222 

Miller building. 66, 226 

Miller. Ephraim. 67. 129 

Miller, Josiah, 68, 129 

Miller. Horace. 64. 200, 218 

Miller street. 183 

Mills, early saw and grist. 44 ; and 
shops in Pawtucket at beginning 
of century, 60. 63 ; cotton, the 
first, 83, 143 ; poorly ventilated, 
g6 ; as technical schools. 12 ; old, 
138. 139, 140; modern, 144, 145. 
152, 156, 161, 162, 163, 169, 170, 
185 

Mill house, the old, 69 

Mill privileges, 139. 161. 162. 163 

Mill sites. 131 

Mill street. 63. 68. 69. n8, ng, i20. 
137. 145, 151, 152, 155, 161. 168 

Mill street bridge, Central Falls, 
133. 150 



Mills. James. 229 

Mineral Spring avenue. 40, 119, 
146, 182 ; cemetery, 2ot^2iz; park, 
2og ; road, 211 ; turnpike, ng 

Miner, Rev. A. A., D. D., 183 

Miner. Rev. G. H.. 222 

Ministers. 174, 178-183. 

Ministerial brutality, 174, 175 

Musters, firemen's. 223, 224 

^Iodels of machinery, export of, 
prohibited from Great Britain, 73 

Moderators, 125. 128, 130 

Modern Pawtucket. 201 

Mohair, braids, 158; plush, 144, 158 

Moies & Jenks, 169 

Moies. Charles. 161, 162. 200 

Moies. Charles P.. 165. 199, 200, 222 

Moies, Ingraham & Co., 161 

Moies. John, 162 

Money order, 226 

Money, scarcity of, in Pawtucket, 

Monitor, fire engine, 223 
Monopoly by private companies, 

21S 
Monuments, 227, 228, 230 
Moodus, Conn., 170. 171 
Mooney. Annie J.. 187 
Morrell. Amos B.. 218 
Morris, Henr>' A., 222 
Morse, Rev. G. A., 182 
Moshassuck cemetery. 210, 227 
Moshassuck river. 14. 16, 17, 24. 25, 

40. 48. 70, 118, 146, 160, 166, 172, 

206, 208. 210 
Mowry, Daniel. 105 
Mowry, Elhanan, 224 
Mowry, Mary, 34, 44 
Mowry. Roger, 34, 44 
Moy. Michael, ig7 
Muicahey, Rev. Mr.. 182 
Mules, spinning. 81, 158 
Mumford, George A., igg 
Municipalities. 129. 164, 201 
Municipal business. 216 ; life, 230 ; 

lighting. 214 ; socialism, 205, 214 
Murray, Martin. 192, 194 
Museum. Col. Slack's, 56 
Muskets, 161 
Music Hall. 66, 196, igg, 200, 217, 

228. 230 
Nails, made by Oziel Wilkinson, 52. 

58, 68 
Narragansett Bay, 13, 24, 31, 117. 

Narragansett Indians, 18; jurisdic- 
tion and history of. 20, 22, 25 ; 
countr>'. 20, 45 
Narragansett Machine Co., 141, 148 
Narragansett purchase, 26 
National Hair Seating Co., 145 
National and Providence Worsted 

Mills, 145. 146 
National Banks. 198, 199, 200 
Navigation of Pawtucket river, 123 
Neck, the. 39 ; road, the old, 63, 118 
Neotaconkonut. great hill of. 25 
New Bedford, Mass., 224 
Newell Coal and Lumber Co., 122, 

124 
Newell, George E.. 122, 131 
Newell, George W., 199. 200 
New England, 23, 36, 64. 83, 103, 

n7, 14S. 158, 171. 223. 
New England Ariizan and Labor- 
ing ^Ian's Repository, gg. 188 
New England Association of Farm- 
ers, Mechanics and Other Work- 
ing men, 98 
New England Electrolytic Copper 

Co.. 167, 168 
New England Pacific Bank, igg 
New England Railroad, 143 
New England States Veteran Fire- 
men's League. 223, 224 
New England Thread Co.. 143 
New Haven, Conn.. 16 
New Idea building, 64 
New Jersey. 86 
New Jerusalem church, 181 
Newman, Rev. Noah, 22 
Newman, Rev. Samuel, 29, 30, 43 
Newman. S. G., 15 
Newman burial ground. 126 

I church, the old, 56, 174, 



New Mill. 83. 136; building, 194; 

Newport. R. I., 48. 117, 121. 190 

Newspapers, 155, 178, 188-299; la- 
bor. 99 

New York, 13. 45. 48. 75. 76, 80. 117. 
120, 167. 168, 189; the first mayor 
of. 126 

New York Manufacturing Co.. 76 

New York Tribune, 147 

Niagara river. 101 

Nicholas. (Jeorge, 129, 151. 176 

Nicholson File Co., 151 

Nicholson. James E.. 151 

Nicholson, Samuel NI., 151 

Nicholson, William T., 151 

Nickerson. Ansel D., 131, 187, 189, 
190, 227 

Nightingales, merchants of Provi- 
dence. 53 

Nomads, industrial, 97 

Norfolk and Bristol turnpike, 119 

Noonan, Martin. 224 

North Attleboro. 120, 162. 217 

North Bend street, 44, 57, 62, 137, 
183. 184 

North burial ground, 40 

North Kingstown, 20, 46 

North Main street, 63, 66. 68.69. 83, 
87, 98, ns. 118. 120. 136. 153. 160. 
211, 213, 215, =26, 227 

North Providence, 10, 70, 72, 87, 
120, 122, 126, 128, 132, 137, 176, 
186, 20S, 2og, 210, 215, 216, 226; 
creation of town. 47 ; portion re- 
annexed to Providence in 1767,48 ; 
division of the town in 1874, 128 

North Providence Bank. ig8 

North Providence and Pawtucket 
Cavalry company. 222 

North Providence rangers. 48 

North Smithfield, 163. 164 

North Union street. 67, 213 

Norton. Mass., 31 

Norwalk, Conn., 178 

North woods. 163 

Nursery, the Pawtucket Day, 225 

Nuts and Bolts. 145, 148, 158 

Oak Grove cemetery, 209. 210 

Oakland, Cal., 190 

Obser\'er, 188 

Obsen'atory. 166 

Odd Fellows building. 67 ; hall. 12S 

Oilmanufactur. 






154, 



Old Colony. 173 

Old tenor. 105 

Oldtown. Mass.. 162 

Olney A: Payne Bros., 124 

<)lncy, Capt. Stephen. 49 

(Jlney, Thomas, 18, 26, 28, 48 

OlneyviUe, R. L. 145 

Omnibuses. 120 

Oneida nation. 52 

Ontario county. N. Y., 189 

Opera house. 230 

Operatives, the first, in Slater's 

mill. 78 
Opinion, changes in, 96 
Organizations, 217, 218, 224, 225 ; 

voluntary, 130 
Organizing spirit, 225 
Organism, social. 9 
Orient Card Jt Paper Co., 142. 155 
Orleans factory. 84 
Ormsbee. Elisha. 86 
Osfield. J.. Jr., 194 
Ossamequin, 18, 31 
Ott, Joseph, 146 
Our Lady of Consolation, church 

of. 184 
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 

church of. 184 
f)utlands. 163 
O.xford. Mass.. 81 
Pacific National Bank, igg, 200 
Paisley, Scot., 142 
Palmer river. 50. 144 
Palmer River Manufacturing Co., 

84 
Panic of 1829. 82, 138. 198 
Paper mill. 139. 158 
Parker. Rev. John N., 183 
Parkinson. Mrs. Esther, 80 
Park, Jenks, 166 
Park Place, 64, 137, 185, aoi, 208 



5o6 



1 X U E X . 



Park Place Congregational church. 

I So 
Parks, public. ao8 
Park street, aoq 
Park, William H., 152, 199. 200. 

Parochial schools. 186 

Parsonage. Congregational. 180 

Pascoag. 112 

Passenger station, 141. 214 

Pastoral life. 134 

Patch. Sam. dwcUinK. 66; career 
as a jumper, loi 

Patch. Mrs. Abigail, 101 

Patents. 36. 150 

Paths, foot, forest, country and 
woodlawn. 13. 62. 118, 160. 166 

Patrolmen. 215 

Patt. Andrew J., 224 

Patt. Jabel. 218 

Pawtucket, .Mass.. 102 ; incorpora- 
tion of. 125. 126 : 132. 186, 220 

Pawtucket Kails, clearing in the 
wilderness at, 10 ; original char- 
acter and appearance, a means of 
crossing the stream and .1 link in 
first highway. 13. 14. 46; vicinity 
nucleus of settlement. 13; fur- 
nished motive power. 14. 104- 
115; neighborhood of originally, 
18 ; fishing at the, iq ; 33, 37, 38, 
40. 44. 46. 47. 51. 52. "7. '25- "6o, 
173. 225 

Pawtucket, settlement, 10 ; in- 
crease in population, growth as a 
self-conscious community 11 ; po- 
litical, social and industrial evolu- 
tion, 12; geographical situation, 
13 ; area, name, fields of, 14 ; re- 
miniscences of 34 ; desirabiily as 
a place of settlement, 37; as a 
wayside stopping place on the 
main traveled road, 54 ; origin of 
community, 58; the Massachu- 
setts town, 102, 125. 126, 132. 180, 
220 ; the Rhode Island town, 126 ; 
modern, 126, 201-230 ; fire district, 
129 

Pawtucket avenue, 39, 68, 72, 118, 
119, 183. 217 

Pawtucket Hank, 53, 60. 61, 198 

Pawtucket Business Men's Associa- 
tion, 227, 228 

Pawtucket Chronicle, 18S 

Pawtucket Coal Co., 122 

Pawtucket Dyeing iS: lilcaching 
Co.. 84, 153 

Pawtucket Congregational M.-eliiig 
house, $6 ; church, 180 

Pawtucket dilligence, 120 

Pawtucket Electric Co., 115 

Pawtucket fields, 25, 28, 39 

Pawtucket Furnace Co.. 157 

Pawtucket fjas Co., 86, no, 114. 
116, 122, 124, 214 

Pawtucket Gazette and Chronicle. 
189, 190, 191. 

Pawtucket Glazed Paper Co., 144. 

Pawtucket H,tir Cloth Co.. 144. 

145. 162. 160 

pawtucket Horse Guards, 222 
Pawtucket hotel, 118, 120, 136, 188 
Pawtucket Institution for Savings, 

199, 200 
Pawtucket Light Guard, 218, 220 
Pawtucket Manufacturing Co., 140. 

.48 
Pawtucket Mutual Fire Insurance 

Co., 200 
Pawtucket path. 118; pike, 119 
Pawtucket river. 13. 16, 25, 27, 39 

43. 58, 104, 121 ; widening and 

deepening channel, 123 ; present 

appearance, 124 
Pawtucket Record, 155 
Pawtucket Safe Deposit Co., 200 
Pawtucket Steam & Gas Pipe Co., 

157 
Pawtucket Street Railway Co., 

Pawtucket I'hread Manufacturing 
Co., 162 

Pawtucket turnpike, 1^2 

Pawtucket Veteran Firemen's As- 
sociation, 223 



uxet. 18, 27, 45 ; purclii 
cr, 25, 37- 163 
e & Taylor, 106, 107, i^ 
e Bros., Olney &, 124 
e, Charles B.. 199 
e, J, Milton, 199, 200 
e, Nathaniel, 34 
e, (ieorge W., 151 
c, Stephen, 34, 42; its 
estate dealer, 44 
Peabody, .Mass.. 224 
Peacock. John T.. 165 



Payn 
Payn 
Payn 
Payn 
Payn 
Payn 
Payn 



Peck family, 6! 

Peck, Cvrel. house of, 61 

Peck, Rev. J. M.. 182 

Pegram. John, 51 

Penstocks. 201 

People's Bank. 199 

People, the common. 94, 97 

People's Mission church, 183 

Pequods, 21 

Perkins. Benjamin B.. 222 

Pcrrin, Edwin A., 199, 225, 226, 

Perry, Fred G., 208 

I'erry, Rev. H. H.. 183 

Perry. Rev. J. DeW., 182 

Perry Oil Co.. 142 

Perry. Oliver H., 131. 215 

Persecution, religious, 174, 175 

Personal property, 217 

Pervear, Charles B!., 143, 14,';, 146. 

Pestilence, the great Indian. 20 

Phenix Bank. 199 

Phetteplace iS; Seagraves. 145. 162 

Philadelphia, 80 

Philleo. Rev, Calvin, 178 

Phillips. Francis J.. 225 

Phillips. Governor. 54 

Phillips Insulated Wire Co.. 142 

Phillips. Rev Jeremiah, i8o 

Phillips. John M.. 222 

Philip. King. 31 ; w.-ir. 51 

Phillips. Samuel. 54 

Phinney h.iuse. 211 

Phinney, Rev. Barimbas. 180 

I'hinnev. Squire Z.. 155 

Phinney. William H.. 2n 

I'hvsical characteristics. 14 

Pl^iinhikl. Cono. 194 

Plain, great. 44. 45 

Plaza of the town. 128 

Pleasant street. 39. 53, 63, 67, 68, 87, 

115, 119, ijh. 137. 156, 183, 213 
Pleasant View, 130, 133, 148. 153. 

i5o. 168. 169, 186. 217 
Pleasant View Baptist church, 179. 

Plush, mills. 113 ; mohair, 144. 158 
Plynio.ilh, .Mass., 20, 22, 23, 24. 29. 

.'. 43. "7 
Pi. k.-ring. Rev. David, 182 
Pidge avenue, 72 
I'idge tavern. 72 
Pierce. Alonzo E., 131, 187. 20s 
Pkrces Fight. 22 
I'lircc. Capt. .Michael, 22 
Pike. Asa. 208 
Piller-shire, 04 
I'.i,.ri,ns. 20.24. .03. ,75 
I'lnc street, 67, 88, 146, 148, 153. 155, 

l8.3. 184. 214 
Pinkham. Haskell & Co.. 14^ 
Pioneer settlers 10 ; mechanics. .^3. 

163. 230 
Pipes, water. 204 
Pitcher. Alanson. 98 
Pitcher. Benjamin. 137, 140 
Pitcher & Brown, 89 
Pitcher & Gay, 89, 146 
Pitcher, E. B., 61, 137 
Pitcher. Ellis. 140 
Pitcher. John, dwelling of, 65 ; 108, 

129. 176 
Pitcher. Earned. 61. 89. 136, 137, 

146, 318 
Pitcher, Samuel, 56 
Pitcher. Mrs. S.. 112 
Pitcher street, 61, 180, ai8 
Pittsburg. Penn., 86 
Poets' corner, 64, 67 
Pokonoket, 31 
Police, 164, 166; station, 215 



Political unity, growth of. at Paw- 
tucket, 125 ; how accomplished, 

Poinfret, Conn., 86 

Ponds, at falls, 109 ; mill. 112 ; water 

P.mtont'Eut'ene. ,65 

Pool below the falls, loi 

Poor, the, boarded at town's ex- 
pense. 49 : house. 94 ; support of, 
164 ; overseer of. 166 

Popnl.ation. 125, 130, 163, 164. 166, 
184. ig'j. 201. 205. 226 

Porter, Rev. E. H.. 182 

Porter. Rev. J. Leech. 182 

Portsmouth. R. I.. 117 

Postal system, 22O 

Post, the Boston, 190 

Post, the Evening. 108 

Postmasters, 225, 226 

Postoffice, 64, 194, 195, 225 ; new 
building, 226 

Potash factory, 53, 54, 57 

Potter, Abel, 33. 34. 37. 42. 44 

Potter & Athenon Machine Co.. 
148 

Potter, Holliman, 128 

Potter, James C. 148 

Potior, R.„l„l, „. 42 

P"i!> I • :<l.-r, 179. 180 



llages. 185 



Power station, electric, 114, 115 

Prairie avenue, 62 

Pratt, Francis, 139 

Prayer meetings, 94 

Preaching the gospel, crime of, 
174 

Pre-glacial Blackstone river, 16 

Press, Associated, 192 

Press, Providence Evening, 147, 191, 
^97. . 

Primitive conditions, 11 

Prince, James. .29 

Print cloth, 162 

Printers, calico, 140, 154; book and 
job, 155. 189. 190, 191 

Printw.Tks. 154, 158, 172 

Private schools, 185, 186 

Privileges, water. 161-164. 170 

Prizes, firemen's, 224 

Probate, Judge of, 166 

Property, accumulation of by the 
factory people, 95 

Proprietors, original, of Providence, 
26 

Prospect street, 223 

Protestant churches. 183 

Providence, 10 ; harbor. 13. 24. 52 ; 
town records, 16. 27 ; deed of, 17, 
18 ; founding of, 23, 24. 25 ; an- 
nals of, 26 ; pike, 68 ; river, 24, 
82. 125, 141 ; neck. 82 ; 19. 20, 28, 
29. 30. 34. 38, 39. 40. 45- 46. 47. 5°. 
51. 52. S3. 54. 57. 63. 67, 70, 72. 76, 
81, 82. 83, 86. 88. 98. 99. 104. 117. 
118, I20, 123, 124, 125, 12S, 141, 
142, 143. 148, 151, 155, 160, 163, 
171, 172, 173, 174, 178, 180, 181, 
184, 189, 191, 192, 196. 199, 224, 
228. 

Providence County Savings Bank, 
199 

Providence Evening Press, 191 

Providence and Pawtucket Street 
Railroad Co.. 120 

Providence and Pawtucket Purn- 
pike. 119. 132 

Providence Plantations. limits of 
original purchase. 25 ; western 
boundary. 27 ; 28, 33, 36. 44, 103, 
■74. '75. 184 

Providence and Worcester railroad. 

Providence Worsted Mills. 146 

Public buildings. 90. 215 

Public education. 186 

Public schools. 186 

Public gatherings, where held. 127 

Public works, department of, 121 ; 

board of, 208 
Pumping stations. 202. 203 
Purington, Rev. Charles, 180 
Puritans, 15, 24,36, 103, 175 



guakcrs, 52, 68, 88, 119. "71. 172. 
174. 175. '76 

Quaker lane, 63. 64, 67, 68, 119, 121 

(Quality Hill, 216 

Quincy avenue. 184 

Quinn. William H.. 222 

Railroads, 120, 130, 140, 141, 142, 
146, 148, 2:4 ; improvements at 
ProvitJence, 141 ; underground, 
171 ; station, 192 ; depot, 216 

Railroad halt, 227 

Railroad street, 217 

R.andall, Rev. E. H., 182 

Randall, .Stephen. Jr.. 132 

Rand. Franklin. 147. 209, 212 

Razee, Stafford W.. 222 

Read, Abiel. 62. 63 

Read, Alvin O., 123. 126 

Read, Amos, 108 

Read block, 188, 192, 194, 195, 196 ; 
street. 2ii 

Read, Charles O.. 199 

Read family. 53. 62. 66 

Read. William. 70 

Rebellion, war of. 220 

Record, the Pawtucket, 155, 198 
building. 194 

Rectors. Episcopal, 182, 186 

Red bridge, 123, 124 

Red house, the old. 69 

Red schoolhouse, the old, 178, 181. 
182. 183, 185 

Red Stone Hill, 43 

Reforms. 96, 171. 188 ; how accom- 
plished. 100 

Regiments, 220. 222 

Religion, 96, 173 

Religious liberty. 174, 175; meet- 
ings, 178 ; services, 172, i8t ; 
status, 58 

Reminiscences, Dr. Benedict s. 17S 

Rehoboth. 22 ; purchase and settle- 
ment. 29.30; North Purchase. 
31; before the revolution. 50; vil- 
lage. 84 ; church. 180; 42. 43. 44. 
46. 51. 52. 54. 56. 58. 80, 83, 84. 
104, 121. 122. 125. 126. 140. 144. 
173. ■74- 184. 190. 209 

Representatives. 125 

Republicans. 131. 195. 198 

Reservoirs, in. 112, 129, 130, 202, 
204 ; heights, 203 

Residences, 90 

Revolution, soldiers from North 
Providence, 48 ; from Rehoboth, 
52; 119 

Reynolds. Charles A.. 224 

Reynolds. William, 42 

Rhode Island, 15, 20. 26, 31, 34, 45, 
46, 47. 60, Bi, 83, 98, 103. 104. IIS. 
119. 122, 125, 126. 128. 137, 15s. 
156. 163. 171. 173, 175, 183. 184, 
188, 201, 212, 220, 224, 225. 226 ; 
troops. 52, 102 

Rhode Island Card Board Co , 155 

Rhodes, Peleg, 45 

Rhodes. William N.. 128 

Rice. Abraham. 129 

Rice. Randall H.. 215 

Richard. Ruel. 162 

Richmond. Col.. 48 

Richmond, Rev. James Cook. 172, 
182 

Richmond, Rev. John B.. iSi 

Richmond. N. H., 67 

■■ Ring of the Town," Rehoboth, 
3°. 44. 50. SI. t'8. '26 

Rittman. Charles. 222 

River tralTic. 123 

River, a sail down the. 124 

Riverside cemetery, igi. 210 

River street. 53, 60, 84, 213 

Road, the old. 57. 60, 63, 67, 107, 
119, 137, 141; first on the east 



. 44. 



i oft 



Roads, early, 11 ; : 
ilization. 117; their evolution 
from paths. 118 ; building of the 
highways, iig ; rail. 140. 141. 142 ; 
improvement. 201 ; free, 220 

Robbin Hollow, 143 

Robbins, Rev. O.. 182 

Roberts. Rev. J. H., 180 

Robertson, Robert A., 222 

Robinson. George, 58, lao, 129 



INDEX, 



507 



Robinson. Thomas W., 194 
Rfjchambeau avenue. 119 
Rochester. N. Y.. 101 
Hocks at fails, attempts to break 

up. 105 
Rock, the old Fishing, 64 
Rock, the Rreat. 64 
Rodman. Rev. William. 182 
Romans. .17 

Roman Catholics. 183. 184, 224 
Roscoe. R. & J.. 142 
Rose and Lily, 188 
Ross. John L.. 72 
Rostrum of the village, 66 
Roth. James. 142 
Rousmaniere, Henry. 188. 190 
Rousmaniere, John E., 188, 190 
Royal Weaving Co., 146 
Rumford. R. 1., 30. 174 
Rum. New England, 64 
Russia. 142. 145 
Ryan. John. 224 
Ryder, David. 139. 143, 144 
Ryder. James. 144 
Ryder. Richard. 144 
Sabin tavern, the Dolly. 57. 62, 118 
Sabin house. Providence. 57 
Sabin, Mar>-. S7 
Sabin. Noah. Jr.. 57 
Sabin. William. 51. 57 
Sacred Heart, church of the. 183 
St. Clara's Swedish Episcopal 

church. 182 
St, Francis cemetery. 210 
St. George's Episcopal church, 182 
St. Jean Baptiste church. 184 
St. John's church. Providence. 181 
St. Joseph's church. 183 ; convent, 

and school. 62 
St. Mar>*"s church, 183. 184. 210; 

cemetery. 210 
St. Matthew's Evangelical Luth- 
eran church. 183 
St. Paul's Episcopal church, 82. 

181, 1B2. i85 
St. Patrick's church. 183 
Sale. Edward. 51 
Salem. Mass.. 23. 24. 80. 117 
Salisbury house. 67 ; fulHng mill, 

108 
Salisbury*. Jesse, 129. 176 
Salisbury. William H., 131 
Saltpetre, manufactured at See- 

konk cove. SI 
Salt, scarcity of. 50 
Sanders, Mrs. Minen-a A.. 187. 

2 28 
Sanitary conditions in early mills, 

96.100 
Sargent's trench. 63. 89. 104. 105. 

io5, 107 ; litigation about water 

rights on. 108, in ; privileges on, 

no; n2. 113, n4, 135, 140 
Sassacus. 21 
Saugus river. 36 
Saunders. Samuel. 161 
Saunders street, 143 
Savage. Rev, Edward. 178 
Saw mills, the first at Pawtucket, 

II. 44, 50. 57. 84 
Savings banks, 199. 200 
Savles. Clark. 121, 122, 132. 156, 

180 
Sayles. Frank A.. 187. 199 
Sayles. Frederick C. 131. 144. 199, 

228 
Sayles. Jeremiah, 48. 72. 127 
Sayles. Sylvanus. 128 
Sayles tavern. 72. 118 
Sayles. W. F. &. F. C. 146, 172 
Sayles. William F., 144, 172. 201; 

bequest to library. 187 
Sayles. William R.. 187 
Saylesville. 16. 17. 72, 141. 161. 172, 

175- 181. 217 
Scarcity of help. 93 
Schiller. Hector. 165 
Schism. 174 
Schools, supported by towns m 

Rehoboth. 50. 51 ; 70. 103, 137, 

164. 166. 171, 184. 185. 226. 227, 

230 ; Sunday. 82 ; factory. 88 ; 
School buildings. i86 
Schoolhouses. 128. 156. 171. 184; the 

brick, 126. 179. 181: the old red, 

69, 70, 178. 181. 182. 183. 185 



Schoolmasters, early, in Rehoboth, 
School street, 53, 56, 61, 62. i8i. 



225 



Scit 



, Ma 



Scituate. R. L. 163 
Scotch power-loom. 87 
Scotch weavers. 77 
Scotland. 91. 142 

Scott. Job. 70 

Scott. John. 70 

Scott's pond. 16. 42. 70. 118 

Scott. Richard. 42. 70 

Screws, manufacture of, 58, 147, 

148. 157. 158 
Scythes, invention of, by Joseph 

Jenks. 36 ; manufacture of. 161 
Seamless wire. 159 
Sears. John. 126 
Sears. Walter H.. 201. 203 
Second Baptist church, 226 
Secret societies. 217 
Seekonk, Mass., 25. 29. 31. 43. 54. 

56, 84, 122 ; incorporation of, 125 ; 
120, 130. 186 

Seekonk Central Factory, 84 

Seekonk cove. 52, 121 

Seekonk plain. 22, 30. 62, 63, 118, 

Seekonk river, 14, 24. 29. 86, 123, 
126 

Selectmen. 214 

September gale of 1869. 150 

Sergeants, town, 215 

Sessions. Darius, 105 

Settling basin. 202 

Settler, the first at Pawtucket. 10. 
32-44. 104 ; the first in Rhode 
Island. 15, 171 : pioneer, 43, 172. 

^ '73 

Settlements, first. 10. 117. 173 

Seven mile line. 27 

Sewage disposal. 200. 208 

Sewers, in Central Falls. 164. 166; 
absence of. 201 ; primitive in 
Pawtucket. 205; construction of 
system. 205. 206. 208 ; cost. 217 

Sewing cotton, the first. 142 

Seymour. Rev. Storrs O.. 183 

Shawmut, 15 

Sheldon. Arnold. 218 

Sheldon building. 187 

Sheldon. H. H.. 198 

Shepard. Benjamin. 49 

Sherman. Fred. 187 

Sherman. Robert. 189. 190. 200. 201 

Ship building at Pawtucket, 52. 57, 

58. 120 
Shipping. 73. 120. 122 
Ship yards. 58. 120. 121 
Sholes. Samuel A.. 210 
Shops on Sargeant's trench. 107 
Shove, Isaac. 126. 199. 300. 203, 205 
Shove. Samuel, 200 
Shreeve house. 72 
Skeleton of (Jov. Joseph Jenks. 212 
Sibley. Alden W.. ia6 
Sibley & Lee. 189 
Siblev. John S.. 183. 190 
Sibley. John W.. 131 
Silk, fabrics. 145. 146; machinery, 

'58 
Silver, extracting. 167. 168 
Silver Spring Bleachery. 17 
Summit street. 166 

s. (ieorge A.. 156 
. James F.. 162 
Simmons. R. H.. 156 
Simpson. Matteson, 140 
Sisson. Charles. 145. igo 
Sisson. Joseph 1'.. 147, 225, 226 
Sisson street. 70 
Slack. Benjamin, 56 
Slack. EHphalet. Col.. 54 ; career. 

will, peculiarities, museum. 56; 

57. 63. 67. 84. 125. 137, 176, 180 
Slack's lane. 56 

Slack. Samuel. 57. 62, 176 

Slack. Sarah. 56 

Slack mansion. 56 

Slack tavern, 54. 56. 57. 60. 67. 118, 

Slater Mill, the old. 63.69; build- 
ing of. 79. 80 ; 84. 86. 106, 119. 139, 
143. 155. 158 



Slater avenue. 157 

Slater Cotton Co.. 144. 151 

Slater. Mrs. Esther. 80, 82, 137 

Slater homestead. 137 

Slater. Horatio N.. 93 

Slater, John. 81 

Slater mansion. 82 

Slater memorial. 228 

Slater monument. 227. 228 

Stater National Bank. 199 

Slater, Samuel, birth and early life. 
7.| ; apprenticeship to cotton spin- 
ning, emigrates to America. 75: 
comes to Pawtucket. and begins 
construction of cotton machinery-. 
76. 77 ; starts his first machinery. 
78 ; builds the old mill. 79; the 
firm Almy. Browne Slater organ- 
nized, marries. 80; his industry- 
and enterprises. 81 ; sunives 
panic of 1829 ; starts Sunday 
schools, personal appearance. 82 ; 
character. 83 ; residences. 66, 69, 
82; second wife. 80, 82, 137; it, 
53. 64, 67, Qi. 100. 104, 129. 138. 
i39< 143. 146. 175, 179. 181, 182. 
185, 196. 198. 209. 225 

Slater. Samuel & Co., 80, 136 

Slater, town of. 164 

Slater's trench, 112 

Slatersville. 81. 82 

Slavery, opposed by the people of 
North Providence, 49 

Slaves, 88; fugitive. 171 

Sliding lathe, invention of. 86. 87 

Smales. George, 156 

Smith. Andrew. 218 

Smith. Benjamin, stone chimney 



;of. 



"7„ 



Smith. Benjamin F., 156. 2co 
Smith, Edward. 48. 131. 194 
Smith family, the first owners of 

water privilege on east side, 53, 

62, 63. 106. 113 
Smith. Rev. Charles E., 178 
Smith, Edward. 69 
Smith. Eleazer. 86 
Smith, Gideon C. 200 
Smith. Hazeal. 128 
Smith. Ht-nry. 44. 137 
Smith. Henry A.. 200. 205 
Smith. Henry T.. 151. 152 
Smith. John. 24 ; the miller. 42 ; 44 
Smith. Joseph. 121. 122 
Smith, Ruth. 34 
Smith. Samuel. 44. 57.61. 62 
Smith. Solomon, 58.84 
Smith. 'J'homas. 34 
Smithfield. R L. 52. 118. 122. 133. 

160. 163. 164. 170. 199 
Smithfield avenue. 208. 210 
Smithfield Friends Meeting house. 

172. 171 
Smithfield Manufacturing Co.. 161 
Smithfield road. 67. 72. 118. 160; 

turnpike, nq 
Smithfield Union Guard. 222 
Snow. Dr. Edwin M.. 197 
Snuff, manufacture of, 58; mill. 

160 
Soap manufacture, 157 
Social autonomy, growth of the 

two Pawtucket villages towards. 

58 
Social consciousness, evolution of. 

58 
Social conditions, before the revolu- 
tion in North Providence. 49, 50; 

at beginning of century. 94. 99; 

elements in structure. 5s: de- 
velopment of 96 ; inequality of 

103 
Social, forces and organism. 9 ; 

growth. Ill : spirit. 225 
Socialism, municipal. 205, 214 
Societies, 90. 217 
Society, state of at beginning of 

factory system. 93. 94 
Soil character of. 14 
Solar time. ?8 
Soldiers and Sailors monument. 

Central Falls. 227 
Soldiers monument. Pawtucket. 228 
Somerset. Mass.. 57 
South Bend street. 44, 62, 137 
South Danvcrs. 224 



South Kingstown. 20 

Soul liberty. 173. 174. 175 

Sovereign plaster, 27 

Sowams. 24. 117 

Sparkling rountain. t88 

Spaulding, George H.. 165 

Spaulding. Rev. Sila.s. 178 

Spear. Thomas. 64. 108. 129. 176 

Spencer block. 66. 187. 194 

.Spencer, (iidcon L., 132. 139.187.200 

Spencer. Henry L.. 139. 158 

Spencer. Job L.. 112. 139 

Spindles. 147. 150. 158 

Spink. William. 143 

Spinners, exploits of, 143 

Spinning, in houses. 91 ; jenniesand 
frames. 76. 77. 78. 80. 150. 158; 
mules first brought to America, 
81 ; cotton. 130, 161. 227 ; yarn, 
140: wheels made and used at 
Pawtucket, 53, 142 ; ring, 158 

Spinning mills, the first. 79; the 
secnnd, 80; as technical schools, 
81 ; increase in number, 83. 84. 
90, 91, 143 

Spool cotton, 146 

Sports of the boys, 101, 223 

Sprague, A. & W., 144 

Sprague, Amasa, 210 

Sprinkling of infants, 174 

Spool manufacture, 152, 159, 168 

Spring street, 62 

Spur, John, 43 

Stafford & Co., 142 

Stafford Manufacturing Co., 142, 
161, 162 

.Stafford, Rufus J., 163 

Stage coaches, 119, 120 

Standard Seamless Wire Co., 151 

Starkweathers, the, as public 
officials in Rehoboth, Seekonk 
and the slate of Massachusetts, 54 

Starkweather, Ephram, manu- 
factures potash, 53; purchased 
land, and buys a house, 54, 57, 6j 

Starkweather,: James C, 54, 100, 
192, 125 

Starkweather. Oliver, manufactures 
carriages, 54 ; mansion of, 61 ; 63, 
84; chaise, too, 125. 137 

Star, Providence Morning, 147, 197 

Star Tanning Co., 152 

State Armory, 222 

Slateof society, 94 

Station, railroad. 141 

Steamboat, invented by David 
Wilkinson and Elisha Ormsbce, 
86 

Steam fire engines, 130, 157, 159. 



sound and river, 120, 124 

Steam mill, first. Rhode Island. 81 

Stearns. Henry A., 200 

Sieere, OscarA.. 145 

Stevenson, Sarah, Airs., wife of 
William Blackstonc, 16 

Ste\iens, Samuel, 62 

Stockinet, 153. 158 

Stocking machine, 74 

Stone chimney houses, 41, 62. 66, 
67, 69, 70, 72, 160 

Stone mill, 84, no. 113. 136, 138, 
139, 140, 144, 162 

Store pay, 100 

Storer, Ebenezer. ^3. 54' 56 

Story, Judge, decision ot in watci 
power cases, 44, 109 

Stove manufacture, 157 

Strauss, Major Alexander, 222 

Streets, 57, 60-64, ^7' *^» ^: 7°* 
164, t66, 178, 205, 215, 216 ; widen- 
ing ol. 115, 121, 136 : commission- 
ers of , 166 ; improvements of, 213, 
214; lighting of, 130, 214 

Street railroads, 120, 217 

Strutt, Jededlah. 74. 79 

Studley. Baxter H.. 224 

Study hall and Study hili. 16 

Stump hill, 202, J03 

Sturtcvanl, William H., 188 

Suffrage, extension of. 102 

Summer sireel, 226 

Summit street, 61, 216 

Sumner, Frcdcrich A.. 225. 226 

Sunday school started by Slater 8j, 
90. >8S 



5o8 



INDEX. 



Supcriniendtnt water works, 203 

Surinam^ 79 

Sutton, Miiss., 191 

Swamp Kighi, 22 

Swamp, the great, 39, 40, 42, 118, 

Swan Point cemetery, 189, 210 
Swan Point road, 119 
Swansea, Mass., 30, 64, 174 
Sweater's dens, 100 
Swede nborKiMn church, 181 
Swedish Congregational church, 

181 
Swedish Evangelical Lutheran 

church, 183 
Sweet, Leonard, 128 
Sweetland, Azatus, 129 
Sweetland, Arestas, 176 
Sweetland, Cornelius, 176 
Sweetland house, 66 
Tabor, Deacon, 69, 211 
'laber, Ichabod, 120 
Taft, Rev. George, 181, 186 
Talbot, Rev. M. J., 182 
Tanneries, 50, 58, 68, 136, 150, 152 
I'ashtassuck, 20 
Taunton, Mass., 57 
Taunton river. 31 
Tarboro, N. C, 86 
Taverns, 48. 54, 56, 57, 58, 61, 62, 

66, 67, 72, 94. 117, 118, 120, 126, 

127, 130 
Taxation, 129, 166, 184; for schools, 

186; 202,517 
Taylor, Judc. 145, 199 
Teachers, 184, 185, 186 
Telegram, Providence, 192, ig6 
Temperance, 171 
Temperance Hall, 181, 215 
Temperance Regulator, 188 
Tenement houses, 136 
Ten hour working day, 99 
Ten Mile River, 14,43,51,84, 121, 

125. 153, 208 
Tenney. Alfred K., 151 
Tibbetts, Fred W.. 222 
lidewater street, 122 
Tiepke, Henry E., 131, 187, 195, 

196, 2H 
Tiffany, Ebenezer, 108, 198, 225 
Tiffany, Otis, 66, 127, 129, 225, 

226 
Tiffany & Read, 64 
Tillinghast, Amos A., 125, 140 
Tillinghast, Pardon E., 200 
Time, factory and solar, 98 
Times, the Paw tucket, 192, 195, 

Timothy street, 63, 68 

Tippling, 94 

Thayer, Alanson, 140, 200 

Thayer, Edward, 146, 222 

Thayer, Ellis, 154 

Thayer, George W,, 154 

Thayer, Philo E., 131, 154, 200 

Thayer, William. 51 

Theatres, 230 

Thomas. Estance, 42 

Thomas, Hiram H., 120 

Thornley, Peter. 72 

Thomson Methodist Church, 182 

Thornton estate, 113 

Thornton, George j\L, 165, 199 

Thornton & Co., Jesse S., 68, 122 

Thornton's ledge, 68 

Thornton, Simon, 122 

Thorpe, John, 89 

Thread, 140, 152, 156, 159, 169 ; 
cotton, i42j 153, 161, 162 : lactory, 
140; machmery, 147, 159 

Throckmorton, John, 26 

Tobie, Edward P., 196, 197 

Tobie. Edward P.. Jr., 105 

Tobey, Dr. Samuel Boyd, 139 

Toleration, religious, 175 

Toler, Daniel, 66, 176 

Toll bridges, 123 

Toll house, 72, 119 ; the old, 220 

Tomlinson. Rev. J. W., 183 

Tompkins, Abner S., 218 

Tompkins, Cornelius, 218 

Tompkins, Peleg S., 218 

Tompkins, Seabury, S , 197 

To Kalon Club, 61, 137, 218 

Tools, edged, 37, 161 

Tourtellott, Jesse S., 200 



Tower, Capt. Levi, 220 
Tower, Capt. John C, 200 
Tower light battery, 320, 222 
lower Post, 224, 228 

Town divisions, 48, 125, 128, 163, 

164 
Town Hall, 126, 128, 179, 224 
'lown landing, 119, 120, 121, 206 
Town meetings, in North Provi- 
dence, 48, 70, 72. 126, 127, 128 ; in 
Pawtucket, Mass., 125, 126, 130, 
164, 186, 201 
Town records, 211 
Townsend, Rev. Julius S., 182 
Toys, manufacture of, 157, 159 
Trade between American colonists 

and mother country, 73 
Traditions as to first settlement. 

Traffic, river, 123 

Trails, Indian, 46, 117, 118 

Travel, Pawtucket a way station 

for, 117, ii8, 141; time of by 

stages, I20 
Travellers, ring, 155, 158 
Treasurer, city, 131, 166 
Trenches, mill, at Pawtucket, 104, 

106-115; at Central Kails, 161, 

163 
'I renlon street, 183 
Trestle, street railroad, 214 
Tribune, New York, 147 
Tribune, the Pawtucket. 192, 194 
Trinity Episcopal church, 54, 61, 

172, 182 
Trinity Square, 201 
Trip hammers, 90, 160, 161 
'IVipp, fob, 46 
Tniant'laws, 184 
Trumpler. Peter J., 192 
Truth's advocate. 188 
Tucker. Rev. William P., 182 
Turnpikes, 119, 170; Pawtucket, 



Ty!t-r \s. Wilkinson, 112 
Typesetting machines, 192, 195 
Tyranny, petty, in early factories, 

96,97 
Twenty mile line, 27 
Twine, manufacture of, 140, 146, 

1 59 
1 wisting machines, 150, 158 
Umbrella, the first in Pawtucket, 

67 
Underground railroad, 171 
Union liaplist Church, 179, 224 
Union Block, 64. 68, 87 
Union of the two Pawtuckets, 126, 
130. 215 ; proposed union of Cen- 
tral Falls and Pawtucket, 164. 

Union Railroad Co., 120 

Union Wadding Co., 144. 153 

United colonics, 30 

United Press, 195 

United States, 73, 75, 145, 151, 151, 

153, 167, 198, 205 
United States Circuit Court, 109, 

United States Congress, 87 

United States government, 161, 226 

United States Cotton Co., 144 

Unity Furnace, 52 

Universalisls churches, 182, 220, 
226 

Upham. Lester W., 189 

Upper Dam, 140 

Valley Falls, 22, 72, 88, 122, 138, 
141. J53. 155, 160, 170, 171, 172, 
183,202,203,204,211,217; pond, 
16, 28, 160; turnpike, 119, 170 

Valley Falls Co., 170, 171 

Valley street, 145 

Valuation, Central Falls, 166 ; Paw- 

Vcrin, Joshua, 24, 38, 39 



Views from Jenks Park, 166 

Villages at Pawtucket falls, 48, $8; 
at beginning of century, 60, 63, 
70, 72; Pawtucket, 83, 103, 117, 
118, 126, 127, 128, 130, 132, 135, 
»35. 13^ 137, 138, 140, 176. 178, 
186, 188, 201, 214, 215, 22o; in 
Blacksione valley, 112, 122, 163; 
Central Falls, 164 ; Valley Falls, 
170; Lonsdale, J71 ; Saylesville, 
172, 175 ; factory, 184 

Vinton, Rev. Porter, 182 

Virginia, 36, 86 

Visitor. Central Falls Weekly, 155, 

196, iy8 

\'oluntary organizations, 174 

Volunteer tire department, 130 

"Volunteer, " engine, 224 

Volunteer firemen, 224 

Volunteer soldiers, 220 

Wadding, cotton, 144, 159 

Wading place at Pawtucket falls, 
46 

Wages, Slaters as a superintend- 
ent, 81 ; of the first operatives, 93 

Wagons, manufacture of, 156, 160 

Walcott, Benjamin, 84,90, 125, 137, 
143. 161 

Walcott family, 137 

Walcott Manufacturing Co., no, 
III, 140 

Walcott, Otis, 68, go 

Walcott, Palemon. 143, 161 

Walcott street, 44, 54, 56, 60, 61, 60, 

62, 137, 183, 216 
Walker avenue, 180 
Walker, liosworth, 127, 162 
Walker, D., 176 
Walker, George I,., 131 
Walker, John, 131 
Walker, Nathaniel, 68, 108, 129 
Walker, Nathaniel, Jr., 129, 176 
Walker, William R., 218, 220 
Wall, river. 114 
Walnut Hill cemetery, 210 
Wampanoags, 20, 24, 43 
Wamsulta, 31 
Wanasquatucket river, 25 
Wannauuiisetl, purchase of, 30 
Wanskuck, 47, 48 
Warburlon, I'rank E., 143 
Warburlun, Henry A., 142, 143 
Warburton, Henry A.. Jr., 143 
Wards, Pawtucket, 131 ; Central 

Falls, ,65 
Ward and Hopkins controversy, 

48 
Waring, Elijah, 80 
Warner, John, 37, 42 ; estate. 44 
Warot rebellion, 220 
Warren, Peter, 67 
Warren, R. L, 24, 29, 31, 190 
Warwick, R. 1.. 34,37, 163 
Washburn. Francis H., 165 
WasliinKton bridge, 123 
WasliiiiKton, D. C, 147, 225, 226 
\\ .isIiin^K.n, General, 56 
Washington street. 166 
Wii 



166 
■tucke 



the 



Vernon street. 62 
Veteran Firemen, 223, 224 
Vessels, sailing, 120, 122, 123, 124 
Veto, mayor's, power of, 165 



utilized. 91 ; attracts the firsi 
settler to Pawtucket falls, 32. 37 
104 ; the first dams, 105 ; on Ser 
geant's trench, 106,-115; litiga- 
tion, 109 ; the various water priv' 
ileges, no, III, 112; damagi 
awarded to owners, 113; tt 
lower dam. and the modern d 
velopnient of the water power, 
113, 114, 115; 135, 136; at Cen- 
tral Falls, 161,-164; Valley Falls, 
170 

Water privileges, 136, 161,-164. i/o 

Water rates, 204, 205 

Water street, 61, 136 

Water supply, 129. 166, 201, 205, 

Water wheel. Slater s first, 68 
Water works, 164, 166, 170 ; prim- 
itive. 201 : system, 201, 205 ; con- 
Tuction, 20^, 204 



Watchemoquct Neck, 50 

Watson. Arthur H., 151 

Wawepoonseag, 16 

Wayland avenue, 180 

Wayside inns. 48, 54, 56. 57. 72, 

117. 118. 120, 126. 127 
WeatherheadA Thompsci, 152.162, 



'34 . 



. handloom, 77, 80, 91, 



Weaving, power loom. 92, 144, 156 
Webbing, manufacture of, 159 
Webb, (;eorge H.. 148 
Webb, Rev. Samuel, 181 
Webster, Mass., 81, 82, 91, 184 
W^ceden building, 137 
Weeden, James, 129, 176 
Weeden. John H.. 128, 188. 200 
Weeden mansion, 68 
Weeden street, 155, 173, 181 
Weekly Visitor, the Central Falls. 

155 
Wells, 201. 205 
Welsh custom in names, 42 
Wenscutt, 47 

Westcott. Stuketey, 26, 39, 42 
Westerly, R. L, 226; granite, 227 
West Indies, 121 
Weston. Francis, 26 
W;eston, Humane. 128 
West side, 45, 60. 63. 67, 60. 86. 103^ 

104. 105, 108. 118, 124. 128. 136, 

137. 140. 150, 186, 209. 214, 216, 

225 
Wetherell & Bennett. 120 
Weybosset. 45 
Weymouth. 29 
Whalen. Michael. 156 
Wharves at mouth of Ten Mile 

River, 51 ; at Pawtucket. 121, 



124 



ck. 24 



. Elisha. 143, 161 
, Richard, 26, 119. 



W'hat Che< 

Wheat. Mr 

Wheaton building, 64, 201 

Wheaton dam. 58 

Wheaton. Mrs. James L., 228 

Wheaton. Job, 130 

Wheelrights. 156 

Whipple, Benjamin, 49 

White & Brown. 147 

White, David J., 152, 155, 198 

White, Elijah. 70 

White. Frederick H., 131 

White, Henry T., 147 

White, Joshua S.. 147 

White mill. 83. in, 112, 140 

White, Nicholas P., 128 

White. Seth. 53. 57 

White. Willis H.. 145 

White. Zebulon. 147 

White. Zebulon L.. 147 

White, Zebulon P.. 147 

Whitin A: Sons. Paul, in 

Whitinsville. Ill 

Whitman, Jacob, 48 

Whitney. Eli. qi 

Whipped for his opinions, 174 

Whipple, 40 

Whipple, Ainasa, 143 

Whipple, Bennett. 143 

Whipple, David. 105 

Whipple, Emor. 222 

Whipple, Ezekiel, 128 

Whittemore, Rev. Joseph. i8o 

Whittcmorc. Rev. Thomas, 182 

Wickes, Francis, 24 

Wilbour. Nathaniel, 218 

Wilbur. Smith. 128 

Wilderness, clearing in at Paw- 
tucket tails. 10 

Wilkins. AlvinS.,218 

Wilkinson brothers: mills, shops 
and forges. 63. 107, 108. 135, 140; 
112 ; build a fire engine. 129 ; as 
mechanics. 139 ; abandoned fur- 
naces of. 147 ; bequeath lot to 
Trinity, 181 

Wilkinson. David, the first Amer- 
ican builder of cotton machinery, 
his great ability as a mechanic, 
constructs a steamboat, 86 ; in- 
vents sliding lathe, his career, 87, 
88; failure.^87. 138; old patterns 
utilized, 147; 64, 66, 78, 80. 82. qo, 
no. 119. 121, 129, 132, 133, 136, 
137, 139. 170, 181, 183; grave, 209 



INDEX 



509 



Wilkin 
66; 



107, log. i2q, 132. 



140, 170. 181. iqS 



Wilkinson family, 81, — , 

of, invent cotton thread. 142 
Wilkinson & Greene. 140 ; mill. 



Wilkinson. George. 88, 107, 

III. 140. ICO 

W^ilkinson. Isaac. 66. 88. 129. 

builds Valley Falls turnpike 

181 
Wilkinson. Isaac R., 225 
Wilkinson. Oziel. settles at 

tucket, 52 ; manufactures 

work, 53 ; grass field, 64. 

208 ; store. 66 ; house. 68 
lill. 



chor 

and Bristol turnpike, iig 
dent of the Manufacturer 
iq8 ; builds a fountain. 20 
named in his honor, 209 ; 

Vilkinson. Hannah, marri^ 



.rfolk 
' Hank, 



Wilkinson Hannah, owner of mill 
privilege on Sergeant's trench. 
no. 139 

Wilkinson. Isrcal. 52 

WMlkinson. Lawrence. 52 

Wilkinson Park, 64. 208. 209, 216. 

2t8 

Wilkinson, Smith. 78. 129 
Wilkinson. William. 80. 179 
Wilkinsonville. Mass.. 82 
Willard & Adams. 142 
Willard, George O.. 191, 192 
Williams, Rev. Alvah D., 180 
W'illiams. Robert, 16, 18. 26 
Williams. Roger 16. 17. 18; early 
life, 23; ministry and career in 
the Massachusetts bay colony, 
settles Providence, 24 ; conveys 
■ an interest to his associates, 26; 
as a negotiator with and friend of 
the Indians, 21, 22, 27; charac- 
ter, influence, and achievements 
28 ; purchase from Massasoit, 28, 
32; first settlement at Seekonk, 
24, 29 ; wandering in the wilder- 
ness, 31 ; purchase of Rehoboth 
made in his house, 43; site of 
settlement, 126; doctrine of soul 
liberty, 27, zS, 173, 175, i8j 
WiUett, Rev. J. W., 182 



Willett, Captain Thomas, secures 
Rehoboth North Pure base, career. 
31 : grave 126 

Willnmrth & MacKillop, 156 

Willmarth. John W., 130 

Wilson. Robert. 156 

Wing house, 61 

Wing, Sylvanus, 61 

Winslow, Edward, 20. 29, 43 

Winslow, Ezekiel, 127 

Winslow, Gov., 24, 29 

Winslow, Jacob, 127 

Winthrop, John, the younger, 36 

W'inthrop, Governor, 15, 

Wire, manufacture of, 151, 158. 159 

Wolves, 62 

Women's rights, 171 

Wood, Betty, 67 

W'ood, Charles D., 151, 224 

Wood, Joseph, 162 

Woodbine stre-^t, 182 

Woodland paths, iiS 

Woodlawn, 



.63. 



70, 127. 141, 145, 



"47. 



83 



odlawn Raptist chapel, 179 
VVoodley, Rtv. Robert D ■ 
Woods, north, 163 
Woodward, James F., 222 
Woodward, Joseph, 38 



Woolen manufacture, 8r, gi, 

,..'■".; ''°- '5^' '5-t- "S"). ■''2 
Woolley, Er\'inK K., 187 
Woolley, Rev. Joseph J., 180 
Woonsocket, K. I., ^i, 122, 

164 

Woonsockct Patriot, igo 
Worcester, Mass , 15, 142, 167 
Workers, factory, 103 
Working-men, convention of, 08 
World's lind, 72 
Worsted hraid, 144 ; cloth, 145, 146, 

158; yarn, 146, 153; machiner>', 

150 : mills, 162. 163 
Woven fabrics, narrow, 145, 158 
Wrentham. Mass.. 122, 160 
Wyman. John C, 112 
Wyman.Mrs. Elizabeth B., (Chace) 

Yai^e CoUcKc, 53, 58 

Yarn, cotton, the first manufac- 
tured by Slater, 79 ; 138, 139, 140, 
142. 143. '46. '52. >53, 154. 158, 
159, i6i, 162: mills, 68 

Vellow mill, 53, 56, 84, .01, 136, 130 

\orkto«n, 67 

Young Men's Christian Associa- 
tion, 227 : sketch of. 485. 

Zeller. Willi.im H.. 195 



12467 19^ 



^ 



